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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: dip · current · wave · straw · bear · perch · object · wound

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  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. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. current — of water
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. current — electric
  11. dip — to sink
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. wound — an injury
  14. perch — the fish
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. current — happening now
  19. object — a thing
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wound — an injury
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — to protest
  24. straw — dry grass

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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