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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: race · rash · calf · coach · straw · current · nail · leaves

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. current — of water
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. current — electric
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. rash — hasty
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. race — the arms race
  16. current — happening now
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rash — a series
  20. race — humankind
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. race — a contest
  24. rash — on the skin

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