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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — in a road
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. kick — in football
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. current — of water
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. current — electric
  15. current — happening now
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. wake — a trail
  20. rush — hurry
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. snap — to click
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. rush — a thrill

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