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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: saw · sharp · court · wind · bore · straw · bank · racket

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. court — of law
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. court — of a king
  7. bank — for money
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. sharp — clever
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. bore — to drill
  13. wind — moving air
  14. court — for sport
  15. wind — moving air
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. bank — for money
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bank — of a river
  24. saw — the tool

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