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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: fine · bay · cabinet · chair · bank · current · straw · coach

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. bank — of a river
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. bank — for money
  6. fine — all right
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. current — of water
  13. chair — a leader
  14. bank — for money
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. current — happening now
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. current — electric

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