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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: bowl · bass · suit · date · saw · coach · straw · object

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. object — to protest
  4. saw — the tool
  5. object — an aim
  6. bass — the fish
  7. suit — in cards
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. suit — to fit
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bass — low music
  20. object — a thing
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. date — the fruit
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. date — on the calendar

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