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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: ball · stick · rock · fan · snap · club · content · trunk

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. ball — a great time
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. club — for dancing
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. club — a group
  13. snap — to click
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. club — for golf
  16. rock — a stone
  17. content — happy
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — music
  24. ball — a dance

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