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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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Word bank
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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: wind · straw · suit · craft · drill · stand

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. suit — in cards
  3. wind — moving air
  4. craft — boats
  5. drill — the tool
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. craft — a skill
  9. stand — to bear
  10. wind — moving air
  11. drill — army training
  12. suit — clothes
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. suit — to fit
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. drill — a practice

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