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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.

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: saw · toast · jam · bark · march · tube · trunk · key

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. toast — bread
  4. march — music
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. tube — the underground
  7. march — the month
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bark — to shout
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. march — the month
  16. key — for a lock
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. saw — the tool
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. tube — a container
  22. key — the most important part
  23. saw — the tool
  24. key — in music

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