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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: land · rash · key · mug · plane · squash · drill · trunk

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. mug — to rob
  3. key — in music
  4. land — a country
  5. rash — hasty
  6. drill — army training
  7. drill — the tool
  8. key — the most important part
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. squash — to crush
  11. rash — a series
  12. land — to come down
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. mug — a face
  17. plane — a tool
  18. land — ground
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. key — for a lock
  21. mug — a cup
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. squash — the sport
  24. trunk — of a tree

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