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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.

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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: roll · bank · straw · pop · bowl · wind · stand · rock

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. wind — moving air
  3. pop — to visit
  4. rock — music
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. pop — music
  10. roll — a cake
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. roll — a list
  14. wind — moving air
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bank — for money
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. rock — a stone
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. pop — soda
  24. bowl — a dish

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