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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: suit · kick · straw · stand · race · drill · wax · fork

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. suit — in cards
  4. fork — in a road
  5. drill — army training
  6. race — the arms race
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. race — humankind
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. suit — clothes
  13. drill — the tool
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. drill — a practice
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. stand — to bear
  23. wax — to grow
  24. kick — in football

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