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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 120 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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. spring — the season
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. saw — the tool
  6. spring — of water
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. object — to protest
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. spring — a coil
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. object — an aim
  17. object — a thing
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — the most important part
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. saw — the tool
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. hide — animal skin

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