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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: rash · bank · swing · stand · pitcher · straw · mine · bay

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. swing — music
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. swing — in golf
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. mine — for digging
  13. rash — a series
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. swing — to play on
  17. bank — for money
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. rash — hasty
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. rash — on the skin

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