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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 116 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
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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: clip · scale · charge · nail · firm · key · cold · dip

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. clip — a video
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. firm — steady
  6. cold — not warm
  7. firm — decided
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. charge — a price
  10. cold — an illness
  11. clip — for paper
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. charge — in control
  14. scale — in music
  15. key — in music
  16. firm — a company
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. key — for a lock
  19. charge — electricity
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. dip — to sink
  22. key — the most important part
  23. clip — to cut
  24. scale — size or range

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