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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
468
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: nail · trunk · coach · spell · key · stick · bass · mouse

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — letters
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bass — the fish
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bass — low music
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — the most important part
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. key — in music
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. spell — magic
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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