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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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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: straw · mate · race · mug · board · bank · lean · mark

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. board — to get on
  5. race — humankind
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. race — the arms race
  8. mate — to breed
  9. bank — for money
  10. mug — to rob
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mate — a partner
  14. race — a contest
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. mug — a face
  17. lean — thin
  18. mate — a friend
  19. lean — to bend
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. bank — of a river
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bank — for money
  24. board — a flat piece

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