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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: pound · straw · spell · suit · march · nail · key · saw

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. suit — clothes
  3. key — the most important part
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. suit — to fit
  9. key — in music
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. spell — magic
  12. march — the month
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. key — for a lock
  15. spell — letters
  16. spell — a short time
  17. march — music
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pound — a weight
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. saw — the tool
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. march — the month

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