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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 · nail · march · cell · fan · fine · mug · trunk

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. mug — a face
  3. march — the month
  4. march — music
  5. cell — a phone
  6. cell — in biology
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mug — to rob
  10. march — the month
  11. pop — soda
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pop — music
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fine — all right
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. fine — high quality
  22. mug — a cup
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. pop — to visit

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