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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. roll — a cake
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. pop — to visit
  5. bank — of a river
  6. pop — music
  7. lean — to bend
  8. bank — for money
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. roll — a list
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cue — for pool
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. craft — boats
  18. stand — to bear
  19. cue — a signal
  20. craft — a skill
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. lean — thin
  23. pop — soda
  24. bank — for money

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