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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
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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: straw · trunk · content · root · firm · squash · plane · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. firm — steady
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. root — the cause
  6. firm — decided
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. squash — the sport
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. content — the amount
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. squash — to crush
  15. root — of a plant
  16. suit — to fit
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. root — of a word
  19. plane — a tool
  20. firm — a company
  21. content — happy
  22. suit — clothes
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. trunk — of a tree

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