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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: coach · key · wake · hide · pass · spell · nail · plane

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. spell — a short time
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. plane — a tool
  7. pass — a permit
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. key — the most important part
  16. spell — magic
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. key — in music
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. key — for a lock
  21. spell — letters
  22. wake — a trail
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. coach — a trainer

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