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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.

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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: cap · pop · band · trunk · can · suit · bark · wave

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. can — a tin
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a lid
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. pop — music
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. suit — to fit
  9. can — to be able to
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. can — a tin
  13. band — a ring
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. cap — a hat
  16. band — a music group
  17. pop — to visit
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bark — to shout
  20. pop — soda
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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