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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: wind · suit · mug · trunk · can · cold · march · key

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. mug — to rob
  3. wind — moving air
  4. key — for a lock
  5. cold — not warm
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. march — the month
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. key — the most important part
  10. suit — in cards
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. key — in music
  13. can — to be able to
  14. suit — to fit
  15. mug — a face
  16. can — a tin
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. march — the month
  19. can — a tin
  20. cold — an illness
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. suit — clothes
  23. wind — moving air
  24. mug — a cup

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