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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. current — happening now
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. stem — to come from
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. ground — crushed
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. suit — in cards
  13. saw — the tool
  14. suit — clothes
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. ground — a position
  17. current — of water
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. saw — the tool
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. suit — to fit
  23. ground — the earth
  24. current — electric

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