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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: rash · jam · nail · pitcher · bore · straw · stem · kick

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bore — to tire
  3. rash — a series
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. bore — to drill
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. kick — in football
  21. rash — hasty
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. kick — a thrill

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