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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: cap · straw · season · deal · object · bank · pitcher · wind

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. deal — to handle
  3. wind — moving air
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. cap — a lid
  7. season — of the year
  8. bank — of a river
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. bank — for money
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. object — a thing
  14. object — to protest
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — of ice
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. wind — moving air
  20. object — an aim
  21. season — in sport
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bank — for money
  24. straw — a straw man

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