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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: staff · wound · suit · pass · straw · trunk · net · season

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. net — for catching
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. wound — an injury
  7. staff — employees
  8. net — in sport
  9. staff — employees
  10. season — of the year
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. suit — clothes
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. season — in sport
  18. suit — in cards
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. pass — a permit
  21. suit — to fit
  22. net — after costs
  23. wound — an injury
  24. straw — a straw man

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