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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 120 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. wind — moving air
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. net — after costs
  8. net — in sport
  9. bear — the animal
  10. net — for catching
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wind — moving air
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. perch — the fish
  20. bear — the animal
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. wave — of the sea

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