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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. track — a song
  5. pit — in a race
  6. saw — the tool
  7. key — in music
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. track — a path
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. saw — the tool
  14. key — for a lock
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — a trace
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. deal — to handle
  19. track — to keep track
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. key — the most important part
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. straw — a straw man

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