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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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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: present · trunk · lean · firm · roll · pop · plane · key

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. pop — music
  3. lean — to bend
  4. present — there
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. plane — a tool
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. key — in music
  9. firm — decided
  10. present — the time now
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. roll — a list
  13. present — a gift
  14. firm — a company
  15. roll — a cake
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. key — for a lock
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. firm — steady
  22. lean — thin
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — soda

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