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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: straw · object · date · fine · racket · bank

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. 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. date — on the calendar
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. bank — of a river
  5. object — a thing
  6. fine — high quality
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. object — an aim
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fine — all right
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. bank — for money
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. date — the fruit
  17. object — to protest
  18. 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