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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: object · bank · ruler · temple · straw · saw · leaves · clip

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. bank — for money
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. object — to protest
  5. bank — for money
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. clip — for paper
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. clip — a video
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. object — an aim
  13. saw — the tool
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. clip — to cut
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. object — a thing
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bank — of a river

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