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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: nail · lash · calf · pass · lean · key

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pass — a permit
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. key — in music
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. lean — to bend
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. key — for a lock
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. lean — thin
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. calf — of the leg

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