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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. mark — a trace
  3. wound — an injury
  4. key — for a lock
  5. rest — what's left
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. key — in music
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. rest — a break
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rash — a series
  13. rest — what's left
  14. can — a tin
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a grade
  18. rash — hasty
  19. wound — an injury
  20. can — a tin
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. key — the most important part
  24. can — to be able to

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