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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: fine · race · pitcher · bank · object · straw · mouse · craft

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fine — all right
  5. bank — for money
  6. race — humankind
  7. bank — of a river
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. craft — boats
  10. object — to protest
  11. race — the arms race
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. fine — high quality
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. race — a contest
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. object — an aim
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bank — for money
  23. object — a thing
  24. craft — a skill

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