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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: chip · stand · saw · rash · straw · row · rock · last

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. saw — the tool
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. last — finally
  8. last — to go on
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. last — final
  12. rash — a series
  13. rock — a stone
  14. row — a line
  15. saw — the tool
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — to eat
  21. rock — music
  22. row — to paddle
  23. rash — hasty
  24. stand — to bear

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