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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
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: craft · straw · foot · content · rush · bank · bear · bass

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  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. bass — the fish
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. rush — hurry
  7. bank — for money
  8. bass — low music
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. bank — of a river
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bank — for money
  19. craft — boats
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. content — the amount
  23. content — happy
  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