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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.

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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 · firm · band · suit · pop · cold · key · lie

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. pop — music
  3. suit — in cards
  4. pop — soda
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. suit — to fit
  7. lie — to recline
  8. key — the most important part
  9. band — a ring
  10. band — a music group
  11. key — in music
  12. pop — to visit
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. firm — decided
  15. key — for a lock
  16. firm — steady
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. firm — a company
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. cold — not warm
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. suit — clothes

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