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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: bore · bulb · mug · nail · kick · race · straw · face

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. bulb — for light
  3. kick — in football
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bore — to tire
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. face — part of the head
  11. race — the arms race
  12. face — to confront
  13. race — a contest
  14. bore — to drill
  15. face — to point toward
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mug — a cup
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. race — humankind

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