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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. fork — in a road
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. charge — in control
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. spring — of water
  8. pit — in a race
  9. bore — to tire
  10. spring — the season
  11. object — to protest
  12. bore — to drill
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. pit — a hole
  16. object — a thing
  17. charge — electricity
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. spring — a coil
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. charge — a price

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