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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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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: straw · stand · dip · saw · hide · cue · season · race

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. saw — the tool
  3. season — of the year
  4. saw — the tool
  5. race — humankind
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. race — a contest
  8. cue — a hint
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. season — in sport
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. cue — for pool
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. cue — a signal
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. stand — to bear
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. race — the arms race
  24. hide — animal skin

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