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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. present — there
  12. row — a line
  13. wind — moving air
  14. toast — bread
  15. wind — moving air
  16. present — a gift
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. present — the time now

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