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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: swing · pound · toast · pitcher · bear · dip · straw · trunk

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. swing — in golf
  7. swing — music
  8. toast — bread
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bear — the animal
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. swing — to play on
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. pound — to hit hard

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