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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mine · hide · straw · saw · board · bank · racket · game

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. game — wild animals
  6. bank — of a river
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. saw — the tool
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. bank — for money
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. board — to get on
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mine — for digging
  20. board — a committee
  21. game — a match
  22. bank — for money
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. straw — dry grass

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