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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: straw · drill · jam · can · arm · mine · bank · wave

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. mine — for digging
  6. can — a tin
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. can — a tin
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bank — of a river
  20. drill — a practice
  21. drill — army training
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. can — to be able to

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