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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 116 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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. tear — from crying
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. tear — to rip
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. pass — a permit
  9. board — to get on
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. tear — from crying
  15. firm — decided
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — steady
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rock — music
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — hurry
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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