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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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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: deal · wake · bank · trunk · suit · object · key · cell

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. suit — in cards
  3. deal — to handle
  4. suit — clothes
  5. cell — in biology
  6. cell — a phone
  7. object — a thing
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. object — an aim
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. suit — to fit
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bank — of a river
  14. key — in music
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. wake — a trail
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. bank — for money
  20. object — to protest
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bank — for money
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. key — the most important part

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