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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.

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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 · stick · pound · can · net · suit · squash · bay

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. suit — to fit
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. net — in sport
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. squash — the sport
  8. can — to be able to
  9. net — for catching
  10. can — a tin
  11. net — after costs
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. can — a tin
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. suit — clothes
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. pound — a weight
  24. squash — to crush

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