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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: jam · bank · straw · bowl · net · board · key · game

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  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 — a straw man
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. net — in sport
  5. board — to get on
  6. game — a match
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. key — the most important part
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. game — wild animals
  14. key — for a lock
  15. board — a committee
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — after costs
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bank — for money
  22. key — in music
  23. bank — of a river
  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