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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
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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: can · mine · bay · plane · key · court · wake · ruler

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. key — in music
  4. key — the most important part
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. court — of law
  8. key — for a lock
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. court — of a king
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. mine — for digging
  15. plane — a tool
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. court — for sport
  18. can — to be able to
  19. wake — a trail
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. can — a tin
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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