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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 120 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: bay · rule · key · rest · foot · fork · dip · plane

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. key — for a lock
  6. rest — what's left
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. rest — a break
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. rule — a law
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. key — the most important part
  16. plane — a tool
  17. key — in music
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. rule — government
  20. rest — what's left
  21. fork — in a road
  22. dip — to sink
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. plane — an aircraft

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