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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: roll · rush · deal · straw · plane · saw · swing · trunk

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  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. rush — hurry
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. roll — a cake
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. plane — a tool
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — music
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. deal — to handle
  15. swing — in golf
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. saw — the tool
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. roll — a list
  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