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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: capital · hide · mouse · nail · last · key · plane · jam

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. key — the most important part
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. last — finally
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. last — to go on
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. last — final
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — in music
  22. plane — a tool
  23. capital — money
  24. capital — a city

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