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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: straw · saw · bulb · staff · band · trunk · object · race

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. band — a ring
  3. band — a music group
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. staff — a stick
  8. race — humankind
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. object — an aim
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. race — the arms race
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bulb — for light
  17. race — a contest
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. staff — employees
  21. object — a thing
  22. bulb — for light
  23. staff — employees
  24. object — to protest

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