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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. charge — in control
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. mark — a grade
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. charge — electricity
  7. squash — the sport
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. lie — to recline
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. cold — not warm
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. cold — an illness
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. squash — to crush
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. mark — a trace
  20. charge — a price
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. pit — in a race

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