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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. key — in music
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. key — the most important part
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pop — to visit
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. mine — for digging
  10. chest — a box
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. deal — to handle
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — for pool
  15. pop — music
  16. pop — soda
  17. chest — of your body
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. chest — of your body
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wake — a trail
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. key — for a lock
  24. cue — a hint

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