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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: cap · nail · object · key · fine · shower · bat · can

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  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. nail — for a hammer
  2. bat — the animal
  3. can — a tin
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. shower — rain
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. can — to be able to
  9. object — a thing
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. object — to protest
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. object — an aim
  17. key — in music
  18. cap — a hat
  19. shower — to wash
  20. cap — a lid
  21. cap — of ice
  22. can — a tin
  23. key — the most important part
  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