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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bank — for money
  3. degree — temperature
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bank — for money
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. row — a line
  11. bank — of a river
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. degree — from a university
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. row — to paddle
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — boats
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. degree — an amount
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. pass — a permit
  24. straw — dry grass

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