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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 116 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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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: race · hide · bore · straw · club · track · rush · saw

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. rush — hurry
  8. race — humankind
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. race — the arms race
  12. bore — to drill
  13. race — a contest
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. club — a group
  18. club — for dancing
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. track — a song
  21. track — to keep track
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. track — a path
  24. club — for golf

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