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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: plane · temple · hand · trunk · mug · key · court · nail

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. mug — a cup
  3. key — in music
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. mug — a face
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. hand — help
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. mug — to rob
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. court — for sport
  13. court — of a king
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. key — for a lock
  18. hand — in cards
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. key — the most important part
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. court — of law
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. plane — a tool

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