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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. current — happening now
  3. lean — to bend
  4. bank — for money
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. bank — of a river
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. current — of water
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. bank — for money
  14. fork — in a road
  15. current — electric
  16. dip — to sink
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. lean — thin
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. racket — for tennis

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