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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 · ground · nail · last · foot · ruler · craft · face

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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. key — for a lock
  4. ground — a position
  5. craft — boats
  6. foot — a measure
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. last — final
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. key — the most important part
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — a skill
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ground — the earth
  18. last — to go on
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. face — part of the head
  21. last — finally
  22. face — to point toward
  23. face — to confront
  24. ground — crushed

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