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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  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. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. rash — hasty
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. rash — a series
  12. content — happy
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. pound — a weight
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. craft — a skill
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. content — the amount
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. toast — bread
  22. craft — boats
  23. rash — on the skin
  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