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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: nail · track · key · staff · sharp · saw · file · fall

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. track — a path
  3. key — for a lock
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. key — the most important part
  6. fall — to drop
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. file — a document
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. saw — the tool
  13. staff — a stick
  14. track — to keep track
  15. file — a line of people
  16. saw — the tool
  17. key — in music
  18. fall — to drop
  19. staff — employees
  20. track — a song
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. file — a tool
  23. staff — employees
  24. fall — the season

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