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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: trunk · pit · object · arm · cap · can · bound · hand

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — certain
  4. can — to be able to
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. hand — help
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. hand — in cards
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. object — an aim
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. pit — in a race
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. object — a thing
  19. cap — a hat
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. object — to protest
  22. cap — of ice
  23. pit — a hole
  24. bound — obliged

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