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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. swing — to play on
  3. swing — music
  4. pit — a hole
  5. tear — from crying
  6. pit — in a race
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. kick — in football
  13. tear — to rip
  14. tear — from crying
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. charge — a price
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. charge — electricity
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. rush — hurry
  24. charge — in control

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