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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.

Make a worksheet

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: hide · land · straw · trunk · rush · racket · mouse · lie

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. land — a country
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. rush — hurry
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. land — ground
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. lie — to recline
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. land — to come down
  24. mouse — the animal

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