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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: straw · firm · hide · mark · can · roll · bowl · trunk

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — steady
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. firm — decided
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. can — a tin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. can — to be able to
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. can — a tin
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. roll — a cake
  22. roll — a list
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. hide — animal skin

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