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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: bank · foot · lie · straw · current · game · bore · pass

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. game — a match
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. game — wild animals
  7. pass — a permit
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — electric
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bore — to drill
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. current — of water
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. bank — of a river
  24. foot — a measure

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