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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: file · suit · wind · fine · rash · nail · key · ball

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  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. fine — high quality
  3. key — in music
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. suit — in cards
  6. file — a line of people
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. key — the most important part
  9. ball — a dance
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. suit — clothes
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. suit — to fit
  15. wind — moving air
  16. fine — all right
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — hasty
  19. wind — moving air
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. file — a tool
  22. key — for a lock
  23. file — a document
  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