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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: key · perch · spring · staff · plane · foot · wake · content

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. wake — a trail
  3. spring — a coil
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. content — the amount
  6. staff — a stick
  7. spring — of water
  8. perch — the fish
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. staff — employees
  12. key — the most important part
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. foot — a measure
  17. key — in music
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. content — happy
  22. staff — employees
  23. key — for a lock
  24. spring — the season

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com