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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 ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. chip — for betting
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. wax — to grow
  8. ball — a great time
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. saw — the tool
  13. chip — to eat
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. ball — a dance
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. shower — rain
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. saw — the tool
  22. shower — to wash
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. pit — a hole

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