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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stock — goods
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. rest — what's left
  12. stock — shares
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. wake — a trail
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rest — a break
  17. mate — a friend
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. mate — to breed
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. stand — to bear
  24. mate — a partner

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