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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 · wave · bear · bulb · spring · board · straw · deal

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. board — to get on
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — to handle
  8. spring — the season
  9. board — a committee
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bulb — for light
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. spring — a coil
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bear — the animal
  24. spring — of water

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