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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: foot · drill · straw · current · wave · bear · suit · ground

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. ground — crushed
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. ground — a position
  7. bear — the animal
  8. current — of water
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. drill — the tool
  11. bear — the animal
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. current — happening now
  14. suit — in cards
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. drill — a practice
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. foot — a measure
  20. suit — clothes
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. current — electric
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. ground — the earth

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