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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: mug · key · suit · mine · nail · lean · cold · plane

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. mug — a face
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. lean — to bend
  8. suit — in cards
  9. key — in music
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. mug — a cup
  12. plane — a tool
  13. key — for a lock
  14. cold — an illness
  15. mug — to rob
  16. key — the most important part
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. suit — clothes
  20. cold — not warm
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. mine — for digging
  24. lean — thin

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