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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.

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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: stick · firm · last · deal · plane · foot · fan · key

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. foot — a measure
  4. key — in music
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. key — for a lock
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. last — to go on
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. last — final
  14. deal — to handle
  15. key — the most important part
  16. firm — decided
  17. firm — steady
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. last — finally
  22. firm — a company
  23. plane — a tool
  24. plane — in geometry

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