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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pit — in a race
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. suit — to fit
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. chip — for betting
  19. pit — a hole
  20. prune — to trim
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. suit — clothes
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. prune — to trim

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