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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fine · tube · key · bay · rest · march · saw · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. fine — all right
  3. key — the most important part
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. tube — the underground
  7. march — the month
  8. key — in music
  9. rest — a break
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. saw — the tool
  16. march — music
  17. key — for a lock
  18. saw — the tool
  19. tube — a container
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. march — the month
  23. rest — what's left
  24. nail — on a finger

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