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

Word bank: bear · wave · foot · straw · safe · chair · scale · prune

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. scale — size or range
  3. prune — to trim
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. bear — the animal
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. scale — in music
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. chair — a leader
  21. foot — a measure
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bear — the animal
  24. straw — dry grass

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