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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.

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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: kid · plane · cue · key · stick · fan · bulb · file

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. file — a document
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. file — a line of people
  8. key — in music
  9. kid — child
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. cue — a hint
  15. kid — to tease
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. key — for a lock
  18. file — a tool
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bulb — for light
  24. plane — a tool

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