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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 124 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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. mate — a friend
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. staff — a stick
  11. staff — employees
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. rash — a series
  14. mug — a cup
  15. board — to get on
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mug — a face
  18. staff — employees
  19. board — a committee
  20. stand — to bear
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mug — to rob
  24. rash — hasty

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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