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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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 · current · perch · arm · mug · stem · face

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. face — to point toward
  4. perch — the fish
  5. stem — to come from
  6. face — part of the head
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — to get on
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. current — electric
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. mug — a cup
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. mug — a face
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. face — to confront
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. current — of water
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. current — happening now

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