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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: mug · swing · trunk · straw · lean · season · suit · snap

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  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. trunk — of a car
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. suit — clothes
  4. lean — to bend
  5. suit — in cards
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. snap — to click
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mug — a face
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. swing — in golf
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. swing — music
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — of the year
  17. season — in sport
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. lean — thin
  20. mug — a cup
  21. suit — to fit
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. swing — to play on
  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