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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: cap · ground · squash · prune · nail · hand · calf · key

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. cap — of ice
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. squash — the sport
  6. ground — the earth
  7. prune — to trim
  8. key — in music
  9. squash — to crush
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. cap — a lid
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ground — a position
  18. hand — in cards
  19. hand — help
  20. key — the most important part
  21. cap — a hat
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. prune — to trim

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