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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 120 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 · hand · pit · drill · nail · snap · net · craft

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pit — in a race
  3. key — the most important part
  4. net — for catching
  5. drill — the tool
  6. craft — boats
  7. drill — a practice
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. net — in sport
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. key — in music
  13. net — after costs
  14. craft — a skill
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. key — for a lock
  17. pit — a hole
  18. hand — help
  19. hand — in cards
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. snap — to click
  22. drill — army training
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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