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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. rock — a stone
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. staff — a stick
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bark — to shout
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — to bear
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. vault — a safe
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. staff — employees
  17. rock — music
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a dance
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. staff — employees

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