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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. can — a tin
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. season — of the year
  6. can — a tin
  7. season — in sport
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. cap — a hat
  10. can — to be able to
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bass — the fish
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. cap — of ice
  18. lean — thin

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