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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. rest — what's left
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. rest — a break
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bore — to tire
  8. chip — for betting
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. suit — clothes
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. roll — a cake
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bore — to drill
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. bear — the animal
  18. suit — in cards
  19. fork — in a road
  20. roll — a list
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bore — gave birth

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