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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 120 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: trunk · stand · present · clip · nail · can · net · rest

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. rest — what's left
  3. can — a tin
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. can — a tin
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. rest — what's left
  9. clip — for paper
  10. can — to be able to
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. clip — a video
  13. rest — a break
  14. net — after costs
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. present — the time now
  17. net — in sport
  18. net — for catching
  19. present — there
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. present — a gift
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. clip — to cut

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