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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: drill · deal · board · key · lash · stem · nail · game

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stem — to come from
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. drill — the tool
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. board — to get on
  12. drill — army training
  13. key — in music
  14. key — the most important part
  15. drill — a practice
  16. deal — to handle
  17. board — a committee
  18. game — wild animals
  19. key — for a lock
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. stem — of a plant

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