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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 116 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: key · nail · coach · firm · rule · straw · fall · board

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. key — for a lock
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. fall — to drop
  6. firm — steady
  7. board — a committee
  8. key — in music
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rule — a law
  11. board — to get on
  12. rule — government
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. firm — decided
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fall — to drop
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. firm — a company
  24. fall — the season

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