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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. swing — music
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. mate — to breed
  6. clip — for paper
  7. mate — a partner
  8. clip — to cut
  9. clip — a video
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. mate — a friend
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mug — to rob
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. mug — a cup
  17. stand — to bear
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. swing — to play on
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. mug — a face
  22. swing — in golf
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. stand — for spectators

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