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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. drill — the tool
  3. stem — to come from
  4. bank — for money
  5. hand — help
  6. bank — for money
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. drill — army training
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. drill — a practice
  24. hand — in cards

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