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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.

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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. board — a committee
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ball — a great time
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bound — tied together
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bound — certain
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. bear — the animal
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. plane — a tool
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. board — to get on

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