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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: band · nail · mouse · key · coach · wave · fan · mine

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. band — a music group
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. band — a ring
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. key — the most important part
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. key — in music
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. mine — for digging
  24. mine — an explosive

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