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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. row — a line
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. row — to paddle
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. pit — a hole
  21. rush — hurry
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. bark — to shout

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