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

Word bank: rest · pass · race · pit · shower · nail · calf · straw

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. race — a contest
  5. race — humankind
  6. shower — to wash
  7. shower — rain
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pass — a permit
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pit — in a race
  13. rest — what's left
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pit — a hole
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. race — the arms race
  22. rest — a break
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. rest — what's left

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