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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: lie · straw · firm · race · pit · arm · nail · band

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. lie — to recline
  3. pit — in a race
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. race — humankind
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. firm — steady
  12. pit — a hole
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. firm — decided
  15. race — a contest
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. band — a ring
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. band — a music group
  24. firm — a company

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