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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: root · trunk · key · drill · fan · plane · shower · sharp

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. root — the cause
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. key — for a lock
  6. key — the most important part
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. shower — to wash
  9. plane — a tool
  10. drill — the tool
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. drill — a practice
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. root — of a word
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. key — in music
  19. root — of a plant
  20. shower — rain
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. drill — army training
  23. sharp — clever
  24. fan — a supporter

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