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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: board · mine · foot · jam · mark · saw · straw · suit

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. mark — a grade
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. mine — for digging
  12. foot — a measure
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. saw — the tool
  18. board — to get on
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. saw — the tool
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. straw — a straw man

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