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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: nail · cabinet · track · trunk · mark · key · lean · ball

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. lean — to bend
  6. track — a path
  7. lean — thin
  8. ball — a great time
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. track — to keep track
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. ball — a dance
  17. key — for a lock
  18. mark — a grade
  19. key — in music
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. mark — a trace
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. track — a song

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