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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. ground — crushed
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. pitch — completely
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. date — the fruit
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. ground — a position
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. wave — of the sea

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