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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: last · can · bulb · nail · calf · mouse · trunk · mark

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. last — finally
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bulb — for light
  9. last — to go on
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. last — final
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. can — a tin
  17. bulb — for light
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mark — a grade
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. can — to be able to
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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