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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: season · straw · trunk · wave · deal · charge · hide · toast

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. season — of the year
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. charge — a price
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. season — in sport
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. deal — to handle
  18. charge — electricity
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. charge — in control
  22. toast — bread
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. straw — dry grass

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