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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: coach · deal · saw · straw · band · bound · temple · bowl

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. band — a ring
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. saw — the tool
  5. band — a music group
  6. deal — to handle
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bound — obliged
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. bound — certain
  24. temple — a place of worship

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