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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mark — a grade
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. face — to confront
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rock — music
  9. rush — hurry
  10. mug — a cup
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rock — a stone
  14. face — to point toward
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. dip — to sink
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. mark — a trace
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. face — part of the head

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