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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 116 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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. current — electric
  6. season — in sport
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. current — happening now
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bore — to drill
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. current — of water
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. season — of the year
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. stand — to bear
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. pitch — completely
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. bore — to tire

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