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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bank — for money
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. drill — the tool
  14. mark — a trace
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. bank — of a river
  17. drill — a practice
  18. foot — a measure
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. stand — to bear
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bank — for money
  23. drill — army training
  24. foot — part of the body

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