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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. tube — a container
  7. tube — the underground
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. rock — a stone
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. pass — a permit
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. fork — in a road
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. rock — music
  24. pitch — completely

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