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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: trunk · net · key · saw · temple · firm · spring · deal

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. saw — the tool
  3. net — after costs
  4. net — for catching
  5. key — in music
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. spring — the season
  8. key — the most important part
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. firm — a company
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. spring — a coil
  13. firm — steady
  14. deal — to handle
  15. key — for a lock
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. net — in sport
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. firm — decided
  20. spring — of water
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. saw — the tool
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. deal — a big deal

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