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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: fork · straw · staff · tube · pop · present · trunk · safe

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. tube — the underground
  3. present — a gift
  4. present — the time now
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — to visit
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. staff — a stick
  13. pop — soda
  14. fork — in a road
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. staff — employees
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. staff — employees
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. tube — a container
  24. fork — a garden tool

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