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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
468
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: bear · foot · bound · ball · ruler · rash · trunk · straw

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. bound — tied together
  5. rash — hasty
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bear — the animal
  10. foot — a measure
  11. rash — a series
  12. bound — obliged
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. bound — certain
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. ruler — for measuring

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