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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. key — the most important part
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. stand — to bear
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. key — for a lock
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. key — in music
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. pass — a permit
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. capital — a city
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. capital — money

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