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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.

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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: mark · key · pass · saw · wake · bat · nail · hide

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. mark — a grade
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bat — the animal
  7. key — for a lock
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. key — in music
  15. pass — a permit
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. mark — a trace
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. key — the most important part
  24. mark — to pay attention

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