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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. board — to get on
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. court — of a king
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. court — for sport
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. squash — to crush
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. wind — moving air
  15. board — a committee
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. wind — moving air
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. court — of law
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. squash — the sport
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. arm — a part of something

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