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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 120 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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. charge — electricity
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pound — a weight
  10. last — final
  11. wake — a trail
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. last — finally
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. last — to go on
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. charge — in control
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — to get on
  23. charge — a price
  24. pound — for dogs

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