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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 120 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: fall · nail · key · spell · pass · race · calf · club

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. spell — a short time
  3. club — a group
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. key — in music
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. fall — the season
  11. race — the arms race
  12. spell — magic
  13. club — for golf
  14. race — humankind
  15. fall — to drop
  16. race — a contest
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. club — for dancing
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pass — a permit
  23. spell — letters
  24. key — the most important part

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