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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: trunk · lash · pitcher · straw · root · bay · drill · pop

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. root — of a plant
  3. pop — soda
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. drill — a practice
  6. drill — the tool
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pop — to visit
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. root — the cause
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. drill — army training
  14. pop — music
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. root — of a word
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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