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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bark — to shout
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. current — happening now
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — music
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — to fit
  10. roll — a list
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — a thing
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. stand — to bear
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. suit — in cards
  19. current — electric
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. current — of water
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. object — to protest
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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