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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 120 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: can · bass · straw · bank · object · ball · fan · present

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bank — for money
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — to protest
  10. present — a gift
  11. can — a tin
  12. present — there
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bass — the fish
  17. present — the time now
  18. can — a tin
  19. bank — for money
  20. bass — low music
  21. ball — a great time
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. object — a thing
  24. ball — a dance

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