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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: straw · board · coach · arm · squash · pass · suit · wax

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. suit — to fit
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. pass — a permit
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. board — to get on
  14. wax — to grow
  15. board — a committee
  16. suit — in cards
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. squash — to crush
  24. squash — the sport

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