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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: land · board · straw · cabinet · stem · mug · pitch · toast

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. land — ground
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. land — a country
  10. toast — bread
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. mug — a face
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. mug — a cup
  21. board — a committee
  22. stem — to come from
  23. pitch — completely
  24. land — to come down

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