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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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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. board — a committee
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. foot — a measure
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. content — happy
  13. content — the amount
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. board — to get on
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. toast — bread

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