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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. pit — a hole
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. saw — the tool
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. deal — to handle
  19. bulb — for light
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. saw — the tool
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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