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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: track · fine · ball · bay · bulb · chest · key · trunk

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. key — in music
  4. bulb — for light
  5. chest — a box
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. ball — a dance
  10. fine — all right
  11. track — a song
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. chest — of your body
  14. track — a path
  15. key — the most important part
  16. fine — high quality
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. track — to keep track
  21. chest — of your body
  22. ball — a great time
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. bulb — for light

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