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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. scale — in music
  4. perch — the fish
  5. scale — size or range
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. can — to be able to
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. cue — for pool
  12. squash — to crush
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. cue — a signal
  15. can — a tin
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. squash — the sport
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. board — to get on
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. cue — a hint
  23. can — a tin
  24. mine — for digging

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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