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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: key · calf · pit · plane · fine · branch · last · chest

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. pit — a hole
  6. key — for a lock
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. key — the most important part
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. last — to go on
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. key — in music
  17. chest — of your body
  18. last — finally
  19. branch — a division
  20. plane — a tool
  21. chest — of your body
  22. pit — in a race
  23. fine — high quality
  24. last — final

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