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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: straw · firm · bank · scale · chair · fan · pitcher · safe

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. firm — steady
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. bank — of a river
  8. firm — decided
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. bank — for money
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. scale — in music
  16. chair — a leader
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bank — for money
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. firm — a company
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. chair — a professorship

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