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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. fall — to drop
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. tube — the underground
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pit — a hole
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. fall — to drop
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — a container
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. fall — the season
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bowl — a football final

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