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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. mark — a grade
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bank — for money
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. foot — a measure
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. object — a thing
  16. bank — for money
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bank — of a river
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. date — the fruit
  24. object — to protest

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