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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: stick · clip · fine · straw · roll · toast · board · key

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. key — the most important part
  5. roll — a cake
  6. clip — to cut
  7. key — in music
  8. toast — bread
  9. clip — a video
  10. roll — a list
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. clip — for paper
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. fine — high quality
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. board — a committee
  19. fine — all right
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. key — for a lock
  23. board — to get on
  24. roll — on a roll

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