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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 116 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: spell · tear · key · scale · wind · current · plane · rest

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. rest — what's left
  3. spell — magic
  4. tear — from crying
  5. plane — a tool
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. key — in music
  9. current — happening now
  10. key — the most important part
  11. tear — from crying
  12. spell — a short time
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. current — of water
  15. wind — moving air
  16. current — electric
  17. key — for a lock
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. rest — what's left
  20. scale — size or range
  21. spell — letters
  22. scale — in music
  23. rest — a break
  24. wind — moving air

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