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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. stand — to bear
  4. roll — a list
  5. craft — a skill
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bank — of a river
  9. ball — a great time
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. roll — a cake
  12. suit — in cards
  13. sharp — clever
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. ball — a dance
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bank — for money
  22. craft — boats
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. craft — a handicraft

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