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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
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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 · lie · temple · lash · mouse · trunk · coach · prune

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. lie — to recline
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. prune — to trim
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. lie — an untruth

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