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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.

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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: toast · key · mouse · craft · trunk · sharp · ground · plane

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. key — the most important part
  3. craft — boats
  4. ground — the earth
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. ground — a position
  8. key — in music
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. craft — a skill
  11. sharp — clever
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. toast — bread
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. key — for a lock
  19. plane — a tool
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. ground — crushed

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