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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.

Make a worksheet

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: present · kick · face · key · spell · board · trunk · bulb

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. board — a committee
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. spell — magic
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. present — there
  8. face — to confront
  9. key — the most important part
  10. present — the time now
  11. spell — a short time
  12. key — in music
  13. board — to get on
  14. kick — in football
  15. face — to point toward
  16. face — part of the head
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. spell — letters
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — for light
  24. present — a gift

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