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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 124 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: can · lash · scale · trunk · jam · content · sharp · ball

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. ball — a great time
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. scale — size or range
  5. content — the amount
  6. ball — a dance
  7. can — to be able to
  8. sharp — clever
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. can — a tin
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. can — a tin
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. content — happy
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. scale — in music

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