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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: trunk · can · nail · land · bowl · wake · calf · object

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. object — an aim
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. object — to protest
  9. wake — a trail
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. can — a tin
  12. object — a thing
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. land — to come down
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. can — a tin
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. land — ground
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. can — to be able to

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