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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: nail · cabinet · sharp · key · staff · clip · spell · can

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. spell — letters
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. clip — to cut
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. clip — a video
  8. key — for a lock
  9. spell — a short time
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. clip — for paper
  16. key — in music
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. staff — employees
  22. can — a tin
  23. spell — magic
  24. key — the most important part

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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