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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 116 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
468
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: plane · wind · key · mug · hide · pitcher · straw · stand

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. mug — a cup
  3. key — in music
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. mug — to rob
  7. stand — to bear
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — a tool
  14. wind — moving air
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. key — for a lock
  19. mug — a face
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. key — the most important part
  24. straw — dry grass

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