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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 · jam · ball · stem · trunk · suit · rush · bowl

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. ball — a great time
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. can — a tin
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — to fit
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. stem — to come from
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. can — a tin
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. can — to be able to
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. suit — in cards

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