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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
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 · lash · fall · pass · net · rock · rush

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. net — for catching
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. fall — to drop
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. board — a committee
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — music
  10. fall — the season
  11. board — to get on
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. net — after costs
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. fall — to drop
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — a permit
  22. rush — hurry
  23. net — in sport
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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