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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: nail · scale · key · firm · wound · last · bulb · board

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bulb — for light
  4. last — to go on
  5. key — in music
  6. firm — a company
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. key — the most important part
  9. scale — in music
  10. last — final
  11. last — finally
  12. board — to get on
  13. firm — decided
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bulb — for light
  17. board — a committee
  18. key — for a lock
  19. wound — an injury
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. firm — steady
  23. scale — size or range
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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