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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: pop · bulb · trunk · deal · sharp · key · kick · saw

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. bulb — for light
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. saw — the tool
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. key — for a lock
  7. pop — to visit
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. sharp — clever
  13. deal — to handle
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. key — in music
  17. pop — music
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. kick — in football
  21. bulb — for light
  22. saw — the tool
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. pop — soda

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