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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 120 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. hand — in cards
  4. key — for a lock
  5. ball — a great time
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — a short time
  10. mate — a partner
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. mate — a friend
  13. key — in music
  14. mate — to breed
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. spell — letters
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. ball — a dance
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. hand — help
  24. key — the most important part

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