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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. race — a contest
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. land — ground
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stock — shares
  10. land — a country
  11. race — humankind
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mug — a cup
  17. stock — goods
  18. land — to come down
  19. mug — a face
  20. race — the arms race
  21. pass — a permit
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pass — to succeed

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