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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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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: trunk · nail · fall · wind · chip · suit · cue · key

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fall — the season
  4. wind — moving air
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. wind — moving air
  7. suit — in cards
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. key — in music
  12. chip — to eat
  13. suit — to fit
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. fall — to drop
  16. key — the most important part
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. cue — a hint
  19. key — for a lock
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. fall — to drop
  23. chip — for betting
  24. suit — clothes

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