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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
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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: bark · wave · scale · rock · season · straw · toast · mate

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. season — of the year
  5. scale — size or range
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. season — in sport
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bark — to shout
  13. mate — a partner
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. toast — bread
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. scale — in music
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. rock — music
  22. mate — a friend
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. mate — to breed

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