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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 120 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: scale · firm · mug · present · straw · game · wave · fine

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. game — a match
  3. present — a gift
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. mug — a cup
  6. scale — in music
  7. firm — a company
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. mug — a face
  11. present — there
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. fine — high quality
  14. mug — to rob
  15. game — wild animals
  16. firm — decided
  17. firm — steady
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. fine — all right
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. present — the time now
  24. scale — size or range

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