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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. season — of the year
  3. perch — the fish
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. fine — high quality
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. face — part of the head
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. net — after costs
  11. current — happening now
  12. face — to point toward
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. season — in sport
  16. toast — bread
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — in sport
  20. face — to confront
  21. fine — all right
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. current — electric
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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