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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 · rule · can · mug · kick · craft · perch · rush

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. craft — a skill
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. kick — in football
  5. can — a tin
  6. mug — to rob
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. rule — a law
  9. mug — a cup
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. can — a tin
  14. perch — the fish
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. mug — a face
  17. rule — government
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. rush — hurry
  21. craft — boats
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rule — to rule out

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