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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
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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: spell · can · trunk · foot · craft · arm · bulb · stand

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. spell — letters
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bulb — for light
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. can — to be able to
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. spell — magic
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. can — a tin
  16. foot — a measure
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. craft — boats
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. can — a tin
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. spell — a short time

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