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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bank — for money
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. chip — for betting
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bank — for money
  12. content — happy
  13. mug — a cup
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. mug — to rob
  17. bank — of a river
  18. content — the amount
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. mine — for digging
  21. mug — a face
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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