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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 120 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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. tear — to rip
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. tear — from crying
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. tear — from crying
  15. snap — to click
  16. current — electric
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. current — happening now
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bank — of a river
  22. current — of water
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. arm — part of the body

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