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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. vault — a safe
  8. branch — a division
  9. rule — a law
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. tube — the underground
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. tube — a container
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. key — in music
  16. key — the most important part
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. rule — government

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