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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
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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: jam · toast · staff · straw · board · spell · mate · drill

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. mate — a friend
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. staff — a stick
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. board — to get on
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. spell — a short time
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. drill — a practice
  13. spell — magic
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. toast — bread
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. drill — the tool
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. board — a committee
  20. drill — army training
  21. staff — employees
  22. mate — a partner
  23. spell — letters
  24. staff — employees

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