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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: staff · wave · cabinet · saw · hand · can · key · fine

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. hand — help
  4. key — in music
  5. staff — a stick
  6. key — for a lock
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. staff — employees
  9. hand — in cards
  10. saw — the tool
  11. staff — employees
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. fine — high quality
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. can — to be able to
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. saw — the tool
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. key — the most important part
  24. wave — of the sea

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