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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 120 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: board · rash · straw · sharp · pit · nail · suit · press

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. sharp — clever
  5. rash — hasty
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. board — a committee
  8. rash — a series
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. pit — in a race
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. press — newspapers
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. press — a publisher
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. pit — a hole
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. suit — clothes
  22. board — to get on
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. press — to push

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