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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
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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 · firm · row · bulb · straw · mate · arm · rush

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  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. rush — to hurry
  2. board — to get on
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. firm — decided
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. row — to paddle
  10. mate — a partner
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. board — a committee
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. firm — a company
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. row — a line
  21. mate — to breed
  22. bulb — for light
  23. arm — a part of something
  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