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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 120 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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. tube — the underground
  6. cell — in biology
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. tube — a container
  10. cue — a hint
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. mate — to breed
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. deal — to handle
  16. cue — for pool
  17. bank — of a river
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bank — for money
  21. cell — a phone
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — a friend
  24. cue — a signal

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