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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bank — for money
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rest — a break
  8. band — a music group
  9. prune — to trim
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bank — for money
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. rush — hurry
  15. band — a ring
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bank — of a river
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rest — what's left
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a dance
  23. rest — what's left
  24. straw — a straw man

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