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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · firm · nail · wound · leaves · bay · mate · staff

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. key — the most important part
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — steady
  5. key — in music
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. wound — an injury
  8. staff — employees
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. firm — a company
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. staff — a stick
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. mate — a friend
  22. staff — employees
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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