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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.

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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. face — to point toward
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. drill — the tool
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. net — in sport
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. band — a ring
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. net — for catching
  15. face — part of the head
  16. can — to be able to
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. band — a music group
  20. bank — for money
  21. drill — army training
  22. net — after costs
  23. face — to confront
  24. band — a rubber band

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