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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bulb — for light
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. current — of water
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. bulb — for light
  9. board — to get on
  10. can — to be able to
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rash — hasty
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. current — happening now
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. can — a tin
  20. current — electric
  21. board — a committee
  22. rash — a series
  23. can — a tin
  24. fan — a supporter

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