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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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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: rock · straw · bear · fan · dip · foot · wind · lie

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. wind — moving air
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. foot — a measure
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rock — a stone
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. dip — to sink
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bear — the animal
  17. lie — to recline
  18. wind — moving air
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bear — the animal
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. rock — music
  24. straw — a straw man

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