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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. dip — to sink
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. content — happy
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. content — the amount
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. face — to point toward
  24. face — to confront

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