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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: mark · club · band · firm · fine · trunk · key · drill

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. club — for golf
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. firm — steady
  6. key — the most important part
  7. fine — all right
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. drill — army training
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. firm — a company
  12. fine — high quality
  13. mark — a trace
  14. firm — decided
  15. key — in music
  16. club — a group
  17. mark — a grade
  18. drill — a practice
  19. key — for a lock
  20. drill — the tool
  21. band — a ring
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. club — for dancing
  24. band — a music group

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