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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mug — a cup
  3. bank — of a river
  4. kick — in football
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. craft — boats
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. present — there
  10. bank — for money
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. mug — a face
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mug — to rob
  15. present — a gift
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bank — for money
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. present — the time now
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. craft — a skill

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