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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 120 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 · mouse · mine · fine · key · shower · net · craft

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. mine — for digging
  3. net — for catching
  4. shower — to wash
  5. craft — a skill
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — boats
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. key — in music
  13. fine — high quality
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. key — the most important part
  16. shower — rain
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. key — for a lock
  21. net — after costs
  22. fine — all right
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mine — belonging to me

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