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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. firm — decided
  4. object — to protest
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. firm — a company
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. fork — in a road
  9. roll — a list
  10. suit — in cards
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. object — a thing
  13. bank — for money
  14. object — an aim
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. bank — of a river
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. roll — a cake
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — clothes
  21. firm — steady
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. bank — for money

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