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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: current · nail · capital · coach · fall · lie · key · fine

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. fall — the season
  3. capital — a city
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. key — the most important part
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — high quality
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — electric
  13. key — in music
  14. fine — all right
  15. lie — to recline
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. current — of water
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — to drop
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. capital — money

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