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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: bore · lash · foot · straw · bulb · race · hide · stand

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. race — humankind
  5. foot — a measure
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. race — the arms race
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bore — to drill
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. bulb — for light
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bulb — for light
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bore — to tire
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. race — a contest

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