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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: saw · drill · club · trunk · mug · wound · bore · key

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. wound — an injury
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — the most important part
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. drill — a practice
  7. club — a group
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. mug — a face
  11. key — in music
  12. club — for dancing
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. drill — the tool
  15. club — for golf
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. drill — army training
  19. mug — a cup
  20. saw — the tool
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bore — to drill
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bore — to tire

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