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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. current — of water
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. mug — a face
  12. mug — to rob
  13. current — electric
  14. bank — for money
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. wax — to grow
  18. mug — a cup
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. bank — of a river
  21. current — happening now
  22. sharp — clever
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. straw — dry grass

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