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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 120 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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. object — to protest
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. object — a thing
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. rock — music
  11. drill — the tool
  12. pass — a permit
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. drill — a practice
  15. lean — thin
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. drill — army training
  18. rock — a stone
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. object — an aim
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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