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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
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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: can · straw · trunk · bulb · nail · snap · coach · deal

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. deal — to handle
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. can — to be able to
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. can — a tin
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. bulb — for light
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. can — a tin
  16. snap — to click
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bulb — for light
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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