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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · board · net · object · fan · bay · lean · hide

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. net — in sport
  6. board — to get on
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. lean — to bend
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. board — a committee
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. object — an aim
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. lean — thin
  17. net — for catching
  18. object — a thing
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. net — after costs
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. object — to protest

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