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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. stand — to bear
  10. staff — employees
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. fork — in a road
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. staff — employees
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. staff — a stick
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. plane — a tool
  24. plane — in geometry

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