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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 116 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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. object — an aim
  7. suit — to fit
  8. object — a thing
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. can — a tin
  11. suit — in cards
  12. spring — the season
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. spring — a coil
  17. can — to be able to
  18. branch — a division
  19. object — to protest
  20. kick — in football
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. suit — clothes
  23. can — a tin
  24. spring — of water

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