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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 116 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: ruler · trunk · saw · hand · lash · wax · mouse · straw

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. hand — in cards
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. saw — the tool
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wax — to grow
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. saw — the tool
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. hand — help
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. straw — a straw man

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