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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. dip — to sink
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. charge — electricity
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — the fish
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. charge — in control
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. chair — a leader
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. deal — to handle
  19. charge — a price
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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