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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.

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: nail · present · court · bore · hand · clip · fork · key

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bore — to drill
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. bore — to tire
  8. clip — to cut
  9. court — of law
  10. key — for a lock
  11. court — of a king
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. hand — in cards
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. hand — help
  17. present — a gift
  18. key — the most important part
  19. clip — a video
  20. clip — for paper
  21. present — there
  22. key — in music
  23. present — the time now
  24. court — for sport

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