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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: face · ball · key · nail · sharp · pass · coach · pitcher

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. face — to confront
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. ball — a dance
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. key — in music
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. face — part of the head
  13. key — the most important part
  14. face — to point toward
  15. ball — a great time
  16. sharp — clever
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. key — for a lock
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. coach — a trainer

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