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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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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: trunk · foot · key · current · nail · mug · present · pop

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. present — a gift
  3. mug — a face
  4. present — there
  5. foot — a measure
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. key — the most important part
  8. present — the time now
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. current — happening now
  11. mug — to rob
  12. pop — soda
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pop — to visit
  16. key — for a lock
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. key — in music
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pop — music
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. current — of water
  24. current — electric

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