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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.

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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
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: can · trunk · lean · root · season · bore · file · snap

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. season — of the year
  3. file — a line of people
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. file — a document
  9. can — a tin
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. bore — to tire
  13. season — in sport
  14. root — the cause
  15. bore — to drill
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. lean — thin
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. root — of a word
  22. file — a tool
  23. lean — to bend
  24. root — of a plant

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