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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: hide · straw · lash · firm · rash · current · nail · race

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. race — the arms race
  4. current — electric
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. race — humankind
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. firm — a company
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rash — a series
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. firm — decided
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. current — of water
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. race — a contest
  19. firm — steady
  20. rash — hasty
  21. current — happening now
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. lash — an eyelash
  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