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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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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: tube · deal · board · lash · pound · stick · straw · fork

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  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. straw — a straw man
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. fork — in a road
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. pound — a weight
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. board — to get on
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. tube — a container
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. deal — to handle
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. deal — an agreement
  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