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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
468
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: lie · bound · perch · straw · bore · fall · fan · wave

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. lie — to recline
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bound — certain
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. fall — to drop
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fall — the season
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. bound — obliged
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bound — tied together
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. bore — to drill

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