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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: track · last · plane · sharp · arm · key · rash · current

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. key — for a lock
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. track — to keep track
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. last — to go on
  9. rash — a series
  10. track — a song
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. key — the most important part
  13. last — final
  14. current — electric
  15. current — happening now
  16. current — of water
  17. plane — a tool
  18. sharp — clever
  19. rash — hasty
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. last — finally
  23. track — a path
  24. key — in music

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