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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
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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: key · object · hand · pass · pit · band · hide · plane

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. object — an aim
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. plane — a tool
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. key — the most important part
  12. pass — a permit
  13. band — a ring
  14. band — a music group
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. object — a thing
  18. hand — help
  19. pit — a hole
  20. object — to protest
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. key — for a lock
  24. hand — part of the body

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