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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 120 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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. field — for sport
  4. firm — steady
  5. field — a subject
  6. stock — goods
  7. firm — decided
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bank — for money
  11. field — farmland
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. firm — a company
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — of a river
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. stock — shares
  21. fork — in a road
  22. mark — a trace
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. vault — a safe

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