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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.

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: face · key · spell · cap · can · trunk · bat · pit

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. can — a tin
  3. face — to point toward
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. key — the most important part
  6. can — a tin
  7. pit — a hole
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. face — to confront
  10. spell — a short time
  11. can — to be able to
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. key — for a lock
  14. face — part of the head
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pit — in a race
  17. cap — of ice
  18. spell — letters
  19. key — in music
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bat — the animal
  24. spell — magic

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