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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: trunk · drill · mouse · straw · bay · plane · lean · tube

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  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. plane — in geometry
  2. lean — thin
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. drill — the tool
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. plane — a tool
  19. drill — a practice
  20. tube — a container
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. tube — the underground
  23. drill — army training
  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