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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. net — for catching
  6. bank — for money
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. present — a gift
  13. squash — the sport
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. net — after costs
  16. bank — of a river
  17. squash — to crush
  18. net — in sport
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bank — for money
  23. present — there
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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