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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.

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: fan · bulb · bore · bowl · can · cap · stick · trunk

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. can — to be able to
  6. cap — of ice
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. can — a tin
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. cap — a lid
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bulb — for light
  15. can — a tin
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bulb — for light

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