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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: rash · fine · trunk · can · content · net · coach · cabinet

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. can — a tin
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. can — a tin
  6. content — the amount
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. content — happy
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. net — after costs
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. net — for catching
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. net — in sport
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. can — to be able to
  21. rash — hasty
  22. fine — all right
  23. fine — high quality
  24. rash — a series

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