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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: mate · drill · chip · cap · suit · key · trunk · saw

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. drill — a practice
  3. suit — in cards
  4. drill — the tool
  5. drill — army training
  6. suit — to fit
  7. saw — the tool
  8. suit — clothes
  9. mate — a partner
  10. cap — a hat
  11. key — in music
  12. mate — a friend
  13. chip — for betting
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. key — for a lock
  16. cap — a lid
  17. mate — to breed
  18. saw — the tool
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chip — to eat
  21. key — the most important part
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. cap — of ice

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