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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: ground · rest · jam · cabinet · bark · firm · board · straw

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. firm — decided
  3. board — a committee
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. ground — crushed
  7. ground — the earth
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — what's left
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. firm — steady
  13. rest — a break
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. board — to get on
  16. firm — a company
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. ground — a position
  21. bark — to shout
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. cabinet — ministers

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