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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 116 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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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: pit · plane · swing · key · row · nail · cell · firm

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. swing — in golf
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — a tool
  7. firm — steady
  8. pit — in a race
  9. firm — a company
  10. pit — a hole
  11. firm — decided
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. cell — a phone
  14. swing — music
  15. row — a line
  16. key — in music
  17. row — to paddle
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. swing — to play on
  20. key — for a lock
  21. cell — in biology
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. key — the most important part
  24. nail — on a finger

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