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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
468
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: can · content · trunk · pass · safe · fan · capital · straw

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. capital — money
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. content — happy
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. can — a tin
  9. capital — a city
  10. can — a tin
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. can — to be able to
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. content — the amount
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of a car

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