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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mark — a trace
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. wax — to grow
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. lean — thin
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. drill — a practice
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. toast — bread
  13. lean — to bend
  14. board — to get on
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. drill — army training
  17. drill — the tool
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. board — a committee
  20. mine — for digging
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. mark — a grade
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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