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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. suit — clothes
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. suit — to fit
  8. board — to get on
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. board — a committee
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. content — the amount
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. content — happy
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. perch — the fish

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