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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.

Make a worksheet

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 turn the ________________ on?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. wind — moving air
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. perch — the fish
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. tube — a container
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. can — a tin
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. wind — moving air
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. lie — to recline
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. tube — the underground
  24. coach — pulled by horses

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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