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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: board · straw · bound · firm · squash · dip

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. dip — to sink
  3. squash — to crush
  4. board — to get on
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. firm — a company
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. bound — obliged
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. board — a committee
  13. bound — certain
  14. bound — tied together
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. squash — the sport
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. firm — steady

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