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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: straw · wake · pop · arm · mate · suit · board · scale

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. suit — to fit
  7. mate — to breed
  8. pop — to visit
  9. scale — in music
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. suit — clothes
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. wake — a trail
  14. suit — in cards
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. scale — size or range
  19. pop — music
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. board — to get on
  22. pop — soda
  23. board — a committee
  24. mate — a partner

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