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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. spring — the season
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — a committee
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. squash — to crush
  9. spring — a coil
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. deal — to handle
  14. wound — an injury
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. fall — the season
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. fall — to drop
  19. stand — to bear
  20. board — to get on
  21. wound — an injury
  22. squash — the sport
  23. spring — of water
  24. fall — to drop

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