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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. key — for a lock
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. squash — to crush
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. land — a country
  9. key — the most important part
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. squash — the sport
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. mine — for digging
  17. lie — to recline
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. ball — a dance
  20. land — to come down
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a great time
  23. land — ground
  24. key — in music

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