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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: toast · wound · row · straw · nail · trunk · root · stand

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. wound — an injury
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. root — of a word
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. wound — an injury
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. row — to paddle
  20. stand — to bear
  21. row — a line
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. root — the cause
  24. nail — for a hammer

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