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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. degree — from a university
  5. bank — for money
  6. bear — the animal
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. season — of the year
  10. degree — an amount
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. season — in sport
  13. bank — for money
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. mine — for digging
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. degree — temperature

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