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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: bay · bound · fall · coach · arm · fan · march · straw

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. bound — obliged
  8. march — music
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bound — tied together
  14. fall — to drop
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. fall — the season
  19. march — the month
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. march — the month
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. bound — certain

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