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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: mark · lie · trunk · can · sharp · deal · wound · perch

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. mark — a grade
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. can — to be able to
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. can — a tin
  9. mark — a trace
  10. perch — the fish
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. lie — to recline
  16. deal — to handle
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — clever
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. wound — an injury
  24. can — a tin

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