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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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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: coach · scale · nail · key · fall · firm · wind · deal

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. key — for a lock
  3. fall — to drop
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. wind — moving air
  7. key — the most important part
  8. scale — in music
  9. firm — decided
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. key — in music
  12. scale — size or range
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. wind — moving air
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. firm — a company
  17. fall — the season
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. firm — steady
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. fall — to drop
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. wind — to turn a key

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