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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: wake · straw · trunk · present · suit · degree · cabinet · firm

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. degree — an amount
  4. present — the time now
  5. suit — clothes
  6. firm — decided
  7. present — there
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. present — a gift
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. firm — a company
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. wake — a trail
  15. suit — in cards
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. suit — to fit
  19. degree — temperature
  20. degree — from a university
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. firm — steady
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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