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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 124 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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. fine — all right
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. mug — a face
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. season — in sport
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. mug — to rob
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. fine — high quality
  14. wake — a trail
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. mug — a cup
  18. toast — bread
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. season — of the year
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pit — in a race
  24. fine — a penalty

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