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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. stem — to come from
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — music
  10. row — to paddle
  11. mug — a cup
  12. season — in sport
  13. season — of the year
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mug — a face
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. row — a line
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. mug — to rob
  24. stem — of a plant

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