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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. track — to keep track
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. drill — a practice
  9. bank — of a river
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. chair — a leader
  12. track — a path
  13. drill — army training
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. drill — the tool
  19. bank — for money
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. track — a song
  22. bank — for money
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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