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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 put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. chair — a leader
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bank — of a river
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. bank — for money
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. suit — in cards
  11. board — to get on
  12. suit — to fit
  13. capital — money
  14. toast — bread
  15. suit — clothes
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. capital — a city
  18. board — a committee
  19. bank — for money
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. perch — the fish

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