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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: lean · board · straw · foot · pitch · bay · season · firm

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. pitch — completely
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. lean — thin
  8. foot — a measure
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — to get on
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. season — of the year
  16. firm — decided
  17. season — in sport
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. lean — to bend
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — steady
  24. season — to add flavour

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