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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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. straw — a straw man
  4. capital — a city
  5. capital — money
  6. cue — for pool
  7. rash — hasty
  8. rash — a series
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bank — of a river
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. foot — a measure
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. bank — for money
  21. cue — a signal
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. straw — dry grass

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