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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: roll · hand · cabinet · bowl · bay · wave · lie · straw

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. hand — help
  7. roll — a cake
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. hand — in cards
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. lie — to recline
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. roll — a list

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