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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 116 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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. firm — steady
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. ground — crushed
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. ground — the earth
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. ground — a position
  10. firm — decided
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. mine — for digging
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. perch — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. firm — a company
  24. suit — clothes

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