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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. track — to keep track
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. chip — for betting
  9. race — a contest
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. chip — to eat
  12. track — a song
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. track — a path
  15. wind — moving air
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bore — to drill
  18. deal — to handle
  19. wind — moving air
  20. bore — to tire
  21. race — the arms race
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. bore — gave birth

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