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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · date · key · bass · bay · bear · bound · fan

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. bear — the animal
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. bass — low music
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. bound — certain
  13. key — for a lock
  14. date — the fruit
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. key — in music
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. key — the most important part
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bear — to put up with

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