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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: dip · pit · craft · stand · nail · bass · straw · race

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. bass — low music
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. pit — in a race
  6. race — the arms race
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. craft — boats
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. stand — to bear
  14. pit — a hole
  15. dip — to sink
  16. race — a contest
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. craft — a skill
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. race — humankind
  24. nail — for a hammer

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