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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.

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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: suit · mug · net · key · cold · nail · trunk · bound

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bound — tied together
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. suit — in cards
  5. mug — a face
  6. bound — obliged
  7. suit — clothes
  8. mug — to rob
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. net — after costs
  11. cold — an illness
  12. key — for a lock
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. suit — to fit
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. key — in music
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bound — certain
  19. cold — not warm
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. mug — a cup
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. net — in sport

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