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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.

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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: mouse · mug · spell · can · trunk · lean · capital · rash

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. capital — a city
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. can — a tin
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. capital — money
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. mug — to rob
  11. can — a tin
  12. rash — a series
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. spell — letters
  15. mug — a face
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. lean — thin
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. lean — to bend
  21. spell — magic
  22. can — to be able to
  23. rash — hasty
  24. mug — a cup

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