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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: key · hide · net · fine · face · wind · trunk · mug

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. fine — all right
  5. key — the most important part
  6. net — in sport
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. face — part of the head
  9. wind — moving air
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. net — for catching
  12. mug — a cup
  13. key — in music
  14. face — to point toward
  15. mug — a face
  16. fine — high quality
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. net — after costs
  21. face — to confront
  22. mug — to rob
  23. key — for a lock
  24. hide — to keep secret

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