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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.

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 · key · shower · charge · fork · band · kick · hand

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. hand — in cards
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. fork — in a road
  6. shower — rain
  7. hand — help
  8. kick — in football
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. charge — a price
  11. shower — to wash
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. band — a music group
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. plane — a tool
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — in music
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. band — a ring
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — in control
  24. hand — part of the body

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