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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: track · sharp · stick · straw · swing · board · chip · pitcher

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. track — a song
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. track — a path
  9. sharp — clever
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. swing — music
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. track — to keep track
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. swing — to play on
  19. chip — to eat
  20. board — to get on
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. chip — for betting
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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