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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: straw · root · bat · plane · stick · scale · board · mug

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. board — a committee
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. plane — a tool
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. root — the cause
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mug — to rob
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. mug — a face
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. scale — size or range
  21. root — of a word
  22. scale — in music
  23. bat — the animal
  24. board — to get on

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