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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. present — a gift
  3. band — a music group
  4. toast — bread
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. present — the time now
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — of a river
  9. pop — music
  10. present — there
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pop — soda
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. band — a ring
  19. bank — for money
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. pop — to visit
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. leaves — to go away

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