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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. row — to paddle
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. lean — thin
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bore — to drill
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. bore — to tire
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. row — a line
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. lean — to bend
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. nail — for a hammer

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