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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. net — for catching
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. press — newspapers
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. net — in sport
  8. bound — tied together
  9. wake — a trail
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — in sport
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. press — a publisher
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. season — of the year
  16. press — to push
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. net — after costs
  21. bound — certain
  22. can — to be able to
  23. bound — obliged
  24. straw — dry grass

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