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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: can · cabinet · plane · trunk · perch · wound · firm · tube

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  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. perch — for a bird
  2. can — a tin
  3. wound — an injury
  4. can — a tin
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. perch — the fish
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. plane — a tool
  11. firm — steady
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. wound — an injury
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. firm — decided
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. firm — a company
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. tube — a container
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — the underground
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  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