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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: drill · trunk · craft · bank · key · fan · bound · sharp

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. craft — a skill
  3. bound — obliged
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. craft — boats
  8. key — for a lock
  9. bound — tied together
  10. drill — army training
  11. bank — for money
  12. key — the most important part
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. sharp — clever
  17. bound — certain
  18. drill — the tool
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bank — for money
  23. drill — a practice
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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