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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: last · track · nail · key · pound · scale · tube · plane

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. last — to go on
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. scale — in music
  7. tube — a container
  8. plane — a tool
  9. key — the most important part
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. track — to keep track
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. pound — a weight
  14. scale — size or range
  15. key — in music
  16. track — a path
  17. last — final
  18. track — a song
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. last — finally
  23. key — for a lock
  24. tube — the underground

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