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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. object — an aim
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. race — a contest
  8. ground — a position
  9. race — humankind
  10. object — a thing
  11. can — a tin
  12. ground — the earth
  13. last — final
  14. kick — in football
  15. rest — a break
  16. last — finally
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. can — to be able to
  19. ground — crushed
  20. can — a tin
  21. object — to protest
  22. last — to go on
  23. race — the arms race
  24. kick — a thrill

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