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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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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: roll · rush · fall · track · key · net · bay · nail

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. net — for catching
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — the most important part
  5. net — in sport
  6. key — in music
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. track — a path
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. fall — the season
  11. track — to keep track
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fall — to drop
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. net — after costs
  18. track — a song
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. roll — a list
  22. roll — a cake
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. fall — to drop

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