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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: ground · trunk · mate · plane · perch · track · lash · can

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  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. can — a tin
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. track — a path
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. mate — a partner
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a song
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. can — a tin
  14. ground — crushed
  15. plane — a tool
  16. ground — the earth
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. mate — to breed
  20. ground — a position
  21. perch — the fish
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mate — a friend
  24. can — to be able to

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