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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. hand — in cards
  5. mark — a trace
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. branch — a division
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. cue — for pool
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mark — a grade
  19. hand — help
  20. cue — a signal
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. cue — a hint

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