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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: stock · sharp · kick · drill · fan · can · bass · trunk

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bass — the fish
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. can — to be able to
  6. stock — shares
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. drill — a practice
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. stock — goods
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. kick — in football
  15. can — a tin
  16. bass — low music
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. drill — army training
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. drill — the tool
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. sharp — clever

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