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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: trunk · hand · pitcher · cabinet · spell · tube · can · lash

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  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. cabinet — ministers
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. tube — a container
  5. spell — a short time
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. tube — the underground
  10. can — a tin
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. hand — help
  14. spell — magic
  15. can — a tin
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. spell — letters
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. hand — in cards
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. can — to be able to

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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