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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: mate · suit · nail · bulb · firm · key · straw · court

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. key — the most important part
  3. court — for sport
  4. firm — steady
  5. key — in music
  6. suit — clothes
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. mate — a friend
  9. firm — a company
  10. bulb — for light
  11. suit — in cards
  12. court — of law
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. mate — a partner
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. suit — to fit
  17. key — for a lock
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mate — to breed
  21. court — of a king
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. firm — decided
  24. bulb — of a plant

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