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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.

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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. can — to be able to
  3. root — of a word
  4. can — a tin
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. root — of a plant
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. can — a tin
  11. drill — the tool
  12. deal — to handle
  13. drill — army training
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. drill — a practice
  19. root — the cause
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. hide — to keep secret

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