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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: present · suit · trunk · nail · bowl · season · leaves · fan

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. season — in sport
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. suit — clothes
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. present — a gift
  8. suit — to fit
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. season — of the year
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. present — there
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. present — the time now
  24. suit — in cards

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