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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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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: suit · stick · bat · mine · perch · trunk · can · ball

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. can — to be able to
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. mine — for digging
  6. can — a tin
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — clothes
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. ball — a dance
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. suit — in cards
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. bat — the animal
  20. can — a tin
  21. ball — a great time
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. perch — the fish

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