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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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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: season · lie · can · plane · trunk · snap · suit · calf

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. suit — to fit
  3. season — in sport
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. can — a tin
  8. plane — a tool
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. snap — to click
  12. can — a tin
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — of the year
  24. lie — to recline

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