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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: sharp · fan · wake · key · nail · ruler · present · calf

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. present — a gift
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. key — in music
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. present — there
  12. present — the time now
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. sharp — clever
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. key — for a lock
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wake — a trail

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