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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 120 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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. mark — a grade
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. stand — to bear
  5. mark — a trace
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. net — in sport
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cue — a signal
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. cue — a hint
  14. net — for catching
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. kid — child
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. net — after costs
  19. cue — for pool
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rash — hasty
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. kid — to tease

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