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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.

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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: plane · face · band · sharp · nail · pound · date · key

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pound — a weight
  3. key — in music
  4. plane — a tool
  5. face — part of the head
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. key — for a lock
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. key — the most important part
  11. date — the fruit
  12. band — a ring
  13. band — a music group
  14. face — to confront
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. face — to point toward
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. sharp — clever
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. pound — for dogs

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