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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fine — all right
  11. snap — to click
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pit — a hole
  14. clip — for paper
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. clip — to cut
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. clip — a video
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. fine — high quality
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. sharp — clever

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