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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: key · mouse · cabinet · cell · nail · kick · bay · sharp

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. cell — a phone
  6. key — for a lock
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. kick — in football
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. cell — in biology
  20. key — in music
  21. sharp — clever
  22. key — the most important part
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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