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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 116 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: key · suit · saw · trunk · cold · nail · bulb · bark

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. key — in music
  3. bark — to shout
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bulb — for light
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. key — the most important part
  13. cold — an illness
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bulb — for light
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. cold — not warm
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. suit — in cards
  24. nail — for a hammer

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