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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 124 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: kid · plane · bark · pitcher · scale · key · jam · kick

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. kick — in football
  4. key — the most important part
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. kid — child
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — size or range
  18. key — in music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. bark — to shout
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. kid — to tease

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