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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: key · scale · fine · cap · rush · bound · deal · nail

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. key — in music
  3. scale — in music
  4. key — the most important part
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bound — certain
  10. fine — high quality
  11. cap — a lid
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. cap — a hat
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. key — for a lock
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. cap — of ice
  20. deal — to handle
  21. fine — all right
  22. rush — hurry
  23. scale — size or range
  24. nail — for a hammer

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