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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. squash — the sport
  4. ground — a position
  5. board — a committee
  6. bore — to drill
  7. ground — the earth
  8. squash — to crush
  9. board — to get on
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. suit — clothes
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. bore — to tire
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. ground — crushed

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