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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: nail · row · saw · firm · coach · toast · straw · prune

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. prune — to trim
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. prune — to trim
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. firm — a company
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. saw — the tool
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. toast — bread
  18. row — to paddle
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. saw — the tool
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. row — a line
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — steady

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