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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. key — in music
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. key — the most important part
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. band — a ring
  9. branch — a division
  10. current — of water
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. craft — a skill
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. current — electric
  17. deal — to handle
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. band — a music group
  21. current — happening now
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. band — a rubber band

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