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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.

Make a worksheet

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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468
Word bank
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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. wind — moving air
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. lean — to bend
  7. current — of water
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. current — electric
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. wind — moving air
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. current — happening now
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. cold — not warm
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. lean — thin
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. cold — an illness
  21. board — to get on
  22. stand — to bear
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. board — a committee

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