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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: cabinet · key · last · nail · date · safe · tear · capital

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. key — in music
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. capital — money
  7. key — for a lock
  8. last — finally
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. last — to go on
  11. tear — to rip
  12. tear — from crying
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. last — final
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. tear — from crying
  18. capital — a city
  19. key — the most important part
  20. date — the fruit
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cabinet — ministers

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