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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.

Make a worksheet

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: wake · charge · staff · key · wind · plane · current · perch

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. key — the most important part
  5. current — of water
  6. perch — the fish
  7. charge — in control
  8. staff — employees
  9. key — in music
  10. current — electric
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — a price
  13. wake — a trail
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. current — happening now
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. staff — employees
  21. wind — moving air
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. key — for a lock
  24. plane — a tool

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