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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. ground — the earth
  9. board — a committee
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. rush — hurry
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. wake — a trail
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. court — of a king
  20. board — to get on
  21. court — of law
  22. court — for sport
  23. ground — a position
  24. ground — crushed

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