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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: chair · snap · pitcher · trunk · fine · board · can · file

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. can — to be able to
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. file — a document
  9. snap — to click
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. fine — high quality
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. chair — a leader
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. can — a tin
  17. fine — all right
  18. board — to get on
  19. file — a line of people
  20. board — a committee
  21. can — a tin
  22. file — a tool
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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