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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: mouse · plane · rest · wind · content · staff · key · tube

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. wind — moving air
  9. key — for a lock
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. key — in music
  12. rest — a break
  13. staff — employees
  14. content — the amount
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. tube — a container
  18. plane — a tool
  19. key — the most important part
  20. staff — employees
  21. content — happy
  22. rest — what's left
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — the underground

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