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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. fine — all right
  3. kick — in football
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — army training
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. drill — the tool
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. fine — high quality
  14. tube — a container
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. pitch — completely
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. tube — the underground
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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