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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. perch — the fish
  6. press — a publisher
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. lean — thin
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. season — of the year
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. press — to push
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. lie — to recline
  19. season — in sport
  20. can — a tin
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. press — newspapers

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