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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.

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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: perch · cue · straw · foot · trunk · swing · fork · toast

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. foot — a measure
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. perch — the fish
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. cue — a hint
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. swing — music
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. swing — to play on
  16. fork — in a road
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. swing — in golf
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. toast — bread

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