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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — clothes
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. bound — tied together
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. saw — the tool
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. foot — a measure
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. ball — a great time
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. suit — to fit
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bound — certain

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