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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 120 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 · fan · foot · bear · sharp · cap · mate · trunk

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. foot — a measure
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a partner
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. can — a tin
  11. sharp — clever
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — of ice
  14. can — to be able to
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. can — a tin
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. cap — a hat
  20. bear — the animal
  21. mate — a friend
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. fan — a supporter

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