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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 116 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: straw · present · stick · band · pass · lean · can · pitcher

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. present — there
  6. present — the time now
  7. band — a ring
  8. lean — to bend
  9. can — a tin
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. lean — thin
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. band — a music group
  24. present — a gift

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