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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: mug · last · bay · object · cell · nail · key · season

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. mug — to rob
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mug — a face
  5. object — a thing
  6. season — in sport
  7. key — in music
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. key — for a lock
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. cell — a phone
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. mug — a cup
  14. last — to go on
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. object — to protest
  17. cell — in biology
  18. object — an aim
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. key — the most important part
  21. season — of the year
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. last — final
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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