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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.

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: object · patient · perch · drill · nail · plane · racket · key

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. key — the most important part
  5. object — to protest
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. drill — a practice
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. perch — the fish
  12. drill — the tool
  13. key — in music
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. object — a thing
  19. plane — a tool
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. drill — army training
  24. key — for a lock

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