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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: trunk · stick · sharp · wound · rock · suit · last · straw

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wound — an injury
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. suit — to fit
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. last — to go on
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. wound — an injury
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. sharp — clever
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. suit — clothes
  14. rock — music
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. suit — in cards
  17. rock — a stone
  18. last — finally
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. last — final
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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