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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: fan · trunk · root · hide · ball · can · bound · present

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  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. fan — to cool the air
  2. present — a gift
  3. bound — tied together
  4. root — of a word
  5. bound — obliged
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. root — the cause
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. can — a tin
  13. present — the time now
  14. bound — certain
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ball — a great time
  19. present — there
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a round shape
  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