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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. mug — to rob
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rest — a break
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. dip — to sink
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. rest — what's left
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. mug — a face
  18. rest — what's left
  19. pass — a permit
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pit — a hole
  24. mug — a cup

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