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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: sharp · craft · straw · saw · fall · rash · firm · trunk

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — decided
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. craft — a skill
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. rash — a series
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. fall — the season
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. firm — steady
  16. rash — hasty
  17. fall — to drop
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. sharp — clever
  21. craft — boats
  22. fall — to drop
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. rash — on the skin

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