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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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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: chest · cabinet · root · key · current · nail · face · cue

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cue — a signal
  4. face — to confront
  5. key — the most important part
  6. chest — of your body
  7. current — electric
  8. face — part of the head
  9. chest — a box
  10. cue — for pool
  11. key — in music
  12. cue — a hint
  13. face — to point toward
  14. root — of a word
  15. root — the cause
  16. current — of water
  17. root — of a plant
  18. chest — of your body
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. key — for a lock
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. current — happening now
  24. cabinet — ministers

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