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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.

Make a worksheet

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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. perch — the fish
  8. content — happy
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. plane — a tool
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. content — the amount
  23. lie — to recline
  24. stock — goods

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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