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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
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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: prune · sharp · nail · key · pound · hide · trunk · dip

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. key — for a lock
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. key — in music
  5. key — the most important part
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. prune — to trim
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. sharp — clever
  20. pound — a weight
  21. dip — to sink
  22. prune — to trim
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. prune — the fruit

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