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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: roll · squash · object · suit · craft · bear · board · straw

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bear — the animal
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. suit — clothes
  9. roll — a cake
  10. suit — to fit
  11. squash — the sport
  12. suit — in cards
  13. roll — a list
  14. board — a committee
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. object — an aim
  17. craft — boats
  18. squash — to crush
  19. craft — a skill
  20. bear — the animal
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. board — to get on
  23. object — a thing
  24. craft — a handicraft

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