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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 120 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: bay · straw · squash · firm · foot · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. firm — a company
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. board — a committee
  10. foot — a measure
  11. firm — steady
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. firm — decided
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. squash — to crush
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. squash — the sport

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