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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: field · can · object · file · land · trunk · present · suit

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. present — there
  3. file — a tool
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. file — a line of people
  6. suit — clothes
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. can — a tin
  9. field — farmland
  10. object — to protest
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. field — for sport
  14. object — a thing
  15. present — a gift
  16. suit — to fit
  17. land — ground
  18. field — a subject
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. object — an aim
  21. present — the time now
  22. suit — in cards
  23. land — to come down
  24. file — a document

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