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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: mine · scale · ball · suit · stand · present · snap · straw

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. mine — for digging
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. scale — size or range
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. ball — a dance
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. snap — to click
  13. present — there
  14. suit — in cards
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. present — the time now
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. suit — clothes
  20. stand — to bear
  21. ball — a great time
  22. scale — in music
  23. suit — to fit
  24. present — a gift

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