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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · mug · wave · fan · object · bore · straw · root

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. object — a thing
  6. firm — a company
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. firm — decided
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. root — of a plant
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. object — to protest
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bore — to tire
  16. firm — steady
  17. mug — a face
  18. root — of a word
  19. object — an aim
  20. mug — to rob
  21. root — the cause
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. mug — a cup
  24. bore — to drill

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