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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. staff — employees
  6. bank — of a river
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. court — of law
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. court — of a king
  11. bank — for money
  12. staff — a stick
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. object — to protest
  17. court — for sport
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. object — a thing
  21. object — an aim
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bank — for money
  24. staff — employees

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