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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: squash · trunk · pass · straw · pitch · board · ruler · fan

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. board — to get on
  4. pass — a permit
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. squash — to crush
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. pitch — completely
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. board — a committee

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