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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: track · nail · mouse · land · key · bay · scale · fork

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. key — in music
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. key — the most important part
  6. track — a path
  7. scale — size or range
  8. track — a song
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. scale — in music
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. land — to come down
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. key — for a lock
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fork — in a road
  22. track — to keep track
  23. land — ground
  24. scale — for weighing

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