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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
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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: shower · nail · mate · wake · plane · roll · rest · key

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. rest — what's left
  3. mate — a friend
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. wake — a trail
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. rest — a break
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a partner
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. roll — a cake
  13. roll — a list
  14. key — in music
  15. shower — rain
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — the most important part
  19. shower — to wash
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. rest — what's left
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. nail — for a hammer

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