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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wound · nail · bark · hide · land · cell · plane · key

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. cell — in biology
  4. plane — a tool
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. key — the most important part
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. wound — an injury
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. land — ground
  13. key — in music
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. land — a country
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bark — to shout
  22. key — for a lock
  23. cell — a phone
  24. land — to come down

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