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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. pit — in a race
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. kid — child
  7. can — a tin
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. suit — clothes
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. content — the amount
  13. ground — crushed
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. pit — a hole
  17. suit — in cards
  18. ground — the earth
  19. sharp — clever
  20. content — happy
  21. can — a tin
  22. ground — a position
  23. kid — to tease
  24. can — to be able to

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