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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: bark · temple · bank · straw · cap · bound · pitcher · wake

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. bank — for money
  5. bound — certain
  6. bound — obliged
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. cap — a hat
  10. bound — tied together
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — a trail
  16. cap — a lid
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. cap — of ice
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bank — for money

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