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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: field · key · plane · calf · sharp · bay · squash · arm

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. key — for a lock
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. key — the most important part
  7. squash — to crush
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. squash — the sport
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. key — in music
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. field — a subject
  20. field — for sport
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. field — farmland
  24. squash — the vegetable

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