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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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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: key · bay · bank · pit · rest · land · chair · plane

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. rest — what's left
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. land — ground
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. key — the most important part
  9. key — in music
  10. pit — a hole
  11. land — to come down
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. chair — a leader
  14. key — for a lock
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. land — a country
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. rest — a break
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. pit — in a race

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