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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. firm — steady
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. race — the arms race
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. race — a contest
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. fork — in a road
  14. bank — of a river
  15. saw — the tool
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bank — for money
  20. firm — a company
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. race — humankind
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. firm — decided

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