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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: rest · stick · bowl · plane · can · swing · last · key

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. last — to go on
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. rest — what's left
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. key — in music
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. can — a tin
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. last — final
  16. swing — to play on
  17. rest — a break
  18. swing — in golf
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. key — the most important part
  21. swing — music
  22. last — finally
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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