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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: hide · bank · safe · firm · craft · mug · roll · straw

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. mug — to rob
  4. firm — steady
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. craft — boats
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. roll — a cake
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. firm — decided
  15. bank — for money
  16. roll — a list
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. mug — a cup
  22. craft — a skill
  23. firm — a company
  24. straw — a straw man

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