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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  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 — dry grass
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bank — of a river
  8. kick — in football
  9. rush — hurry
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. stem — to come from
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. bank — for money
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  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