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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bank — of a river
  3. row — to paddle
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. bank — for money
  7. face — to point toward
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. bank — for money
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to confront
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. row — a line
  15. content — the amount
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. content — happy
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. craft — boats
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. stand — to bear
  23. craft — a skill
  24. row — a quarrel

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