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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · key · deal · can · kick · swing · rash · shower

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  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. kick — a thrill
  2. key — for a lock
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. key — in music
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. can — to be able to
  8. rash — hasty
  9. swing — music
  10. kick — in football
  11. key — the most important part
  12. swing — in golf
  13. deal — to handle
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. can — a tin
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. rash — a series
  20. swing — to play on
  21. shower — rain
  22. shower — to wash
  23. can — a tin
  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