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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. club — for golf
  7. rash — hasty
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. rash — a series
  11. club — a group
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bank — for money
  16. fine — all right
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bank — of a river
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. rule — a law
  22. bank — for money
  23. rule — government
  24. rule — to rule out

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