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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. drill — the tool
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. shower — rain
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. net — in sport
  13. snap — to click
  14. net — after costs
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. shower — to wash
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. net — for catching
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. drill — army training
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. drill — a practice
  23. pit — a hole
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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