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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 116 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: cap · straw · cabinet · lash · suit · track · stand · band

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. stand — to bear
  4. track — to keep track
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. cap — a hat
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. suit — clothes
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. suit — to fit
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. band — a ring
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. suit — in cards
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. band — a music group
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. cap — of ice
  21. track — a song
  22. track — a path
  23. cap — a lid
  24. stand — for spectators

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