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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. lean — thin
  3. can — a tin
  4. suit — clothes
  5. drill — army training
  6. board — to get on
  7. drill — a practice
  8. can — to be able to
  9. drill — the tool
  10. lean — to bend
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. suit — to fit
  14. present — the time now
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. board — a committee
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. present — a gift
  21. present — there
  22. perch — the fish
  23. suit — in cards
  24. can — a tin

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