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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.

Make a worksheet

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

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. bass — the fish
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. pit — in a race
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pit — a hole
  9. saw — the tool
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. wind — moving air
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. wind — moving air
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lean — thin
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. bass — low music
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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