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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 · can · fork · mark · dip · march · bound · nail

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. march — the month
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bound — certain
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. mark — a trace
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to sink
  11. march — the month
  12. can — a tin
  13. key — in music
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bound — tied together
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. march — music
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bound — obliged
  20. can — to be able to
  21. mark — a grade
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fork — in a road
  24. can — a tin

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