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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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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: squash · wave · straw · nail · can · race · rule · bowl

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. can — a tin
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. can — a tin
  6. squash — to crush
  7. race — the arms race
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. rule — a law
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. can — to be able to
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. squash — the sport
  22. race — a contest
  23. race — humankind
  24. rule — government

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