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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: plane · firm · bay · clip · perch · key · kick · suit

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — decided
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. key — the most important part
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. key — in music
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. firm — a company
  14. kick — in football
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. clip — a video
  18. perch — the fish
  19. clip — to cut
  20. suit — clothes
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. plane — a tool
  23. clip — for paper
  24. kick — with a leg

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