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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 124 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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. charge — electricity
  8. ground — a position
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. ground — the earth
  13. charge — in control
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. wake — a trail
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. ground — crushed
  18. kick — in football
  19. charge — a price
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. kick — with a leg

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