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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cap · mouse · capital · bowl · trunk · can · fan · arm

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. capital — money
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. cap — a lid
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. can — to be able to
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. cap — of ice
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. can — a tin
  22. capital — a city
  23. cap — a hat
  24. can — a tin

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