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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. board — a committee
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — clothes
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. board — to get on
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. face — part of the head
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. suit — to fit
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. dip — to sink
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. face — to confront
  21. toast — bread
  22. face — to point toward
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. toast — the most admired

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