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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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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: rash · jam · straw · deal · lean · bay · board · rest

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. board — to get on
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. rest — a break
  7. rash — a series
  8. lean — thin
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. lean — to bend
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. board — a committee
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. rest — what's left

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