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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bank — for money
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. current — electric
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. current — happening now
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bank — of a river
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bank — for money
  18. bass — low music
  19. current — of water
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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