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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: leaves · key · net · drill · spell · nail · straw · firm

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. drill — the tool
  3. key — in music
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. firm — steady
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — decided
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. key — the most important part
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. net — after costs
  15. spell — magic
  16. drill — army training
  17. key — for a lock
  18. net — in sport
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. drill — a practice
  23. spell — letters
  24. spell — a short time

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