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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: fine · fan · band · nail · bay · ruler · key · deal

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. key — in music
  12. deal — to handle
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. band — a ring
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — all right
  22. band — a music group
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. fan — a supporter

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