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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: bay · trunk · club · can · key · lash · plane · field

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. can — a tin
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. field — for sport
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. club — for golf
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. key — the most important part
  9. field — farmland
  10. plane — a tool
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. field — a subject
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. key — for a lock
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. key — in music
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. club — a group
  23. club — for dancing
  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