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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: race · nail · wake · march · dip · capital · fine · key

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. march — music
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. capital — money
  7. race — the arms race
  8. march — the month
  9. fine — all right
  10. key — the most important part
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. march — the month
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. race — humankind
  15. key — in music
  16. key — for a lock
  17. fine — high quality
  18. wake — a trail
  19. dip — to sink
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. race — a contest
  23. capital — a city
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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