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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. tube — a container
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. saw — the tool
  6. board — a committee
  7. tube — the underground
  8. last — finally
  9. stand — to bear
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. last — final
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. board — to get on
  18. mark — a grade
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. mark — a trace
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. last — to go on
  24. saw — the tool

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