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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. lean — to bend
  5. can — to be able to
  6. pit — a hole
  7. track — to keep track
  8. pit — in a race
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. lean — thin
  14. track — a path
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. can — a tin
  17. pound — a weight
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. track — a song
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. foot — a measure
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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