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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
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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: key · wound · bay · nail · object · last · firm · cabinet

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — to protest
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. wound — an injury
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. firm — a company
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. firm — decided
  10. wound — an injury
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. key — for a lock
  15. firm — steady
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. key — the most important part
  18. last — finally
  19. key — in music
  20. last — to go on
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. object — a thing
  23. last — final
  24. nail — for a hammer

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