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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.

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: fork · bass · bowl · key · can · game · mug · trunk

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bass — low music
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. can — a tin
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. game — a match
  11. bass — the fish
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. game — wild animals
  14. key — in music
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. mug — a cup
  18. can — a tin
  19. fork — in a road
  20. key — for a lock
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. mug — a face
  24. mug — to rob

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