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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: mark · dip · net · foot · stand · straw · arm · wave

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. dip — to sink
  5. net — for catching
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. mark — a trace
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. foot — a measure
  16. mark — a grade
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. net — in sport
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stand — to bear

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