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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. season — in sport
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. degree — an amount
  7. bank — for money
  8. row — a line
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. degree — temperature
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. row — to paddle
  14. bank — of a river
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. suit — to fit
  17. degree — from a university
  18. bank — for money
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. stem — to come from
  22. season — of the year
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. suit — in cards

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