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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
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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 · bank · game · fan · object · straw · bay · content

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. object — a thing
  4. object — to protest
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. object — an aim
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. content — happy
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. content — the amount
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. game — a match
  22. game — wild animals
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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