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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: squash · straw · foot · can · rock · dip · trunk · bank

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. rock — a stone
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bank — for money
  5. rock — music
  6. can — a tin
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the sport
  10. bank — for money
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. bank — of a river
  16. dip — to sink
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. can — to be able to
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. can — a tin

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