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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.

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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: wave · game · rush · straw · spell · bulb · leaves · lean

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bulb — for light
  6. game — a match
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bulb — for light
  12. spell — a short time
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. game — wild animals
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. lean — thin
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. spell — magic
  21. lean — to bend
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. rush — hurry
  24. spell — letters

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