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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. rest — what's left
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. face — to confront
  7. rest — a break
  8. charge — a price
  9. face — part of the head
  10. dip — to sink
  11. face — to point toward
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fork — in a road
  16. charge — electricity
  17. firm — a company
  18. rest — what's left
  19. firm — decided
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. charge — in control
  24. firm — steady

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