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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · row · net · foot · straw · clip · fork · bore

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bore — to drill
  7. clip — a video
  8. row — to paddle
  9. row — a line
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. clip — to cut
  14. net — in sport
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. clip — for paper
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — a measure
  19. net — after costs
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. suit — in cards
  22. net — for catching
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. straw — dry grass

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