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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.

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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: lean · tear · plane · can · foot · stock · key · last

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. can — to be able to
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. last — final
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. key — for a lock
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. stock — goods
  11. tear — to rip
  12. tear — from crying
  13. stock — shares
  14. last — to go on
  15. lean — to bend
  16. last — finally
  17. tear — from crying
  18. can — a tin
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. key — the most important part
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. can — a tin
  23. foot — a measure
  24. lean — thin

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