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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. chip — to eat
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. degree — from a university
  10. court — of law
  11. court — for sport
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. rush — hurry
  14. degree — temperature
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. court — of a king
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. degree — an amount
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. chip — for betting

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