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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 120 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. pit — in a race
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. mug — a cup
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — the fish
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. mug — a face
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. prune — to trim
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. content — happy
  17. foot — a measure
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. prune — to trim
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. content — the amount
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. mug — to rob

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