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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: suit · spring · sharp · straw · tube · ruler · trunk · toast

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. suit — in cards
  3. spring — a coil
  4. tube — a container
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. spring — the season
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. suit — to fit
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. sharp — clever
  18. suit — clothes
  19. toast — bread
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. spring — of water

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