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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 120 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: mine · trunk · mouse · spring · fork · temple · saw · drill

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. spring — the season
  5. drill — army training
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. spring — of water
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. spring — a coil
  11. drill — a practice
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. drill — the tool
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. saw — the tool
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. saw — the tool

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