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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. foot — a measure
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. drill — a practice
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. drill — army training
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. drill — the tool
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wind — moving air
  16. spell — a short time
  17. spell — letters
  18. spell — magic
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. straw — a straw man

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