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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a hole
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. hand — help
  8. race — a contest
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bulb — for light
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. race — the arms race
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. lie — to recline
  19. race — humankind
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bulb — for light
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. hand — in cards

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