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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.

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: mark · trunk · stick · branch · clip · drill · key · squash

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. clip — a video
  3. key — in music
  4. drill — a practice
  5. clip — for paper
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. drill — the tool
  8. squash — the sport
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. drill — army training
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. clip — to cut
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. squash — to crush
  17. branch — a division
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — the most important part
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. mark — a trace
  24. branch — of a bank

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