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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. firm — steady
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. firm — decided
  10. chest — of your body
  11. bank — of a river
  12. chest — a box
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. chest — of your body
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. firm — a company
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bank — for money
  20. mug — a face
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bank — for money

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