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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. mug — a face
  3. firm — steady
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. firm — a company
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bank — for money
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. firm — decided
  15. season — of the year
  16. deal — to handle
  17. season — in sport
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. mug — a cup
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. bank — for money
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bank — of a river
  24. mug — to rob

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