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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: lean · safe · bank · ball · straw · deal · roll · net

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. net — in sport
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. ball — a dance
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. net — for catching
  7. roll — a list
  8. lean — thin
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bank — for money
  13. net — after costs
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. roll — a cake
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bank — for money
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. deal — to handle
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bank — of a river

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