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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: march · trunk · cabinet · bulb · wind · plane · key · date

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. key — in music
  4. date — the fruit
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. wind — moving air
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. march — the month
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. key — the most important part
  13. plane — a tool
  14. wind — moving air
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. march — the month
  17. key — for a lock
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bulb — for light
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. march — music
  24. cabinet — ministers

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