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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: cap · firm · deal · key · lash · stock · nail · scale

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. stock — goods
  3. scale — size or range
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. key — for a lock
  6. firm — steady
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. cap — a lid
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — in music
  14. firm — decided
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. cap — a hat
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. firm — a company
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. deal — to handle
  21. cap — of ice
  22. stock — shares
  23. scale — in music
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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