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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: band · cabinet · rock · board · suit · arm · straw · mate

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. mate — to breed
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. mate — a friend
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. suit — in cards
  11. rock — music
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. board — to get on
  15. band — a ring
  16. suit — to fit
  17. rock — a stone
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. suit — clothes
  20. mate — a partner
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. board — a committee
  24. band — a music group

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