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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: track · object · season · nail · tear · fan · stick · straw

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. tear — from crying
  7. track — a song
  8. tear — from crying
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. object — to protest
  11. season — of the year
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. track — to keep track
  14. object — an aim
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. tear — to rip
  20. object — a thing
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. track — a path
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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