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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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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: band · nail · stand · key · straw · pitch · fork · lash

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. fork — in a road
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. key — for a lock
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. key — the most important part
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. key — in music
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. band — a ring
  19. pitch — completely
  20. stand — to bear
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. band — a music group

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