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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. race — a contest
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. bore — to drill
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. hand — help
  12. wind — moving air
  13. race — the arms race
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. bore — to tire
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wind — moving air
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. hand — in cards
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. bore — gave birth

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