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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: pass · bark · wake · toast · bank · straw · spell · can

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. toast — bread
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bank — for money
  7. pass — a permit
  8. spell — magic
  9. bank — of a river
  10. can — to be able to
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. bark — to shout
  14. can — a tin
  15. bank — for money
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. spell — letters
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. wake — a trail
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. spell — a short time
  22. can — a tin
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. pass — to succeed

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