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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: cap · safe · racket · nail · net · key · kid · lie

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. key — in music
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. net — after costs
  5. cap — of ice
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. key — for a lock
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. lie — to recline
  14. net — for catching
  15. key — the most important part
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. net — in sport
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — a lid
  23. kid — child
  24. kid — to tease

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