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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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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. tube — a container
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. march — the month
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. perch — the fish
  12. tube — the underground
  13. object — a thing
  14. march — the month
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. object — to protest
  18. season — in sport
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. march — music
  21. season — of the year
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. object — an aim
  24. leaves — of a tree

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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