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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. row — to paddle
  5. bass — the fish
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. bulb — for light
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. row — a line
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — hurry
  13. perch — the fish
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — to fit
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bass — low music
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. dip — to sink
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. suit — clothes
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rush — to hurry

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