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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: key · plane · spring · mark · last · fine · bound · nail

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. spring — the season
  3. last — finally
  4. key — in music
  5. key — for a lock
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. spring — a coil
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bound — certain
  10. mark — a trace
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bound — tied together
  16. key — the most important part
  17. mark — a grade
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. spring — of water
  20. plane — a tool
  21. last — to go on
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — all right
  24. last — final

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