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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. board — a committee
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. board — to get on
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. suit — clothes
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. suit — in cards
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. suit — to fit
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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