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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. stand — to bear
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. fall — to drop
  6. face — part of the head
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. ball — a great time
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. face — to confront
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — the season
  20. ball — a dance
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. foot — a measure
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. stand — for spectators

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