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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cue · toast · straw · hide · stand · rule

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — a law
  7. cue — a hint
  8. toast — bread
  9. cue — a signal
  10. stand — to bear
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. rule — government
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. cue — for pool
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — to keep secret

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