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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: key · plane · hand · ball · mouse · tube · rash · fall

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. key — in music
  3. fall — to drop
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a dance
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. key — for a lock
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fall — the season
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. hand — help
  14. rash — a series
  15. plane — a tool
  16. tube — the underground
  17. ball — a great time
  18. rash — hasty
  19. tube — a container
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. key — the most important part
  22. fall — to drop
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. hand — in cards

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