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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: nail · key · clip · mouse · craft · club · sharp · fine

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. key — the most important part
  7. craft — boats
  8. clip — to cut
  9. clip — for paper
  10. sharp — clever
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. clip — a video
  13. fine — high quality
  14. club — for dancing
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. club — for golf
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. key — in music
  20. club — a group
  21. craft — a skill
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. key — for a lock

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