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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.

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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. fork — in a road
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. firm — a company
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. snap — to click
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. firm — steady
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. firm — decided
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. lash — to lash out

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