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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: straw · mate · wave · spring · chair · ball · sharp · bore

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. spring — of water
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. bore — to tire
  8. sharp — clever
  9. bore — to drill
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. chair — a leader
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. spring — a coil
  18. spring — the season
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — a partner
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ball — a dance

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