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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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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: pound · trunk · suit · straw · rule · season · racket · hide

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. rule — a law
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. pound — a weight
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. suit — in cards
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. suit — to fit
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. season — in sport
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. rule — government
  21. season — of the year
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. trunk — of a car

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