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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. tear — to rip
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. object — to protest
  9. fork — in a road
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. snap — to click
  13. pit — in a race
  14. rush — hurry
  15. tear — from crying
  16. kid — to tease
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. object — a thing
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. kid — child
  22. bear — the animal
  23. tear — from crying
  24. fork — a garden tool

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