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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
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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: mark · cabinet · nail · squash · present · date · key · spring

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. key — in music
  3. present — there
  4. squash — to crush
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. date — the fruit
  7. mark — a grade
  8. squash — the sport
  9. key — the most important part
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. spring — the season
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. spring — of water
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. mark — a trace
  16. spring — a coil
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. present — a gift
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. present — the time now

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