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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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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: nail · fork · foot · pass · sharp · cap · key · kick

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. cap — a hat
  7. sharp — clever
  8. foot — a measure
  9. fork — in a road
  10. pass — a permit
  11. key — in music
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. cap — a lid
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. key — for a lock
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. cap — of ice
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. kick — in football

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