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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: trunk · rash · ball · saw · plane · spell · can · mark

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. can — a tin
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. spell — magic
  5. rash — a series
  6. can — to be able to
  7. spell — a short time
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. can — a tin
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. mark — a grade
  13. ball — a dance
  14. spell — letters
  15. mark — a trace
  16. saw — the tool
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. rash — hasty
  21. plane — a tool
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. plane — an aircraft

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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