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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: arm · pitcher · present · straw · suit · board · wind · fine

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. suit — in cards
  5. wind — moving air
  6. present — a gift
  7. wind — moving air
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. board — a committee
  11. suit — clothes
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. present — there
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. suit — to fit
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — to get on
  24. arm — a part of something

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