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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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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: bank · snap · bore · wake · coach · present · straw · perch

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. present — a gift
  7. bank — for money
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. snap — to click
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. wake — a trail
  14. bore — to drill
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. perch — the fish
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. present — there
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. bank — for money
  21. present — the time now
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bore — to tire

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