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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 116 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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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: bay · straw · bass · track · wind · present · mark · trunk

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. wind — moving air
  4. present — the time now
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. present — there
  13. track — to keep track
  14. mark — a trace
  15. track — a path
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bass — low music
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. track — a song
  20. present — a gift
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bass — the fish

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