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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: dip · toast · arm · straw · stand · last · wake · rush

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. stand — to bear
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. rush — hurry
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to sink
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. wake — a trail
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. last — final
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. toast — bread
  24. last — to go on

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