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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: lean · racket · straw · bulb · saw · leaves · wave · ground

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. ground — a position
  4. bulb — for light
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bulb — for light
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. lean — to bend
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. lean — thin
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. saw — the tool
  20. ground — crushed
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. racket — a loud noise

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