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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 120 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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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: trunk · press · cue · key · nail · bark · arm · bay

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — a signal
  4. press — newspapers
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. key — for a lock
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. key — in music
  11. press — to push
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. key — the most important part
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bark — to shout
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. arm — a part of something

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