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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. wind — moving air
  4. fork — in a road
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bank — of a river
  8. chip — to eat
  9. pit — a hole
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. chip — for betting
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. pit — in a race
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. wind — moving air
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. straw — dry grass
  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