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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 116 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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bank — of a river
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bear — the animal
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bound — certain
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. lean — thin
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. pitch — completely
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. bound — tied together
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. lean — to rest against

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