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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — to visit
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. fork — in a road
  9. spell — a short time
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. spell — letters
  12. kick — in football
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. bulb — for light
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. spell — magic
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — to bear
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. pop — soda
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. straw — dry grass

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