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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: straw · wind · bore · bulb · hide · can · wave · face

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. face — part of the head
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. can — a tin
  5. face — to point toward
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bore — to drill
  8. wind — moving air
  9. face — to confront
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. can — to be able to
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bore — to tire
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bulb — for light
  24. can — a tin

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