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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 120 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 · temple · nail · lean · pass · rock · rash · straw

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. race — a contest
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. rash — a series
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. lean — thin
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. lean — to bend
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rash — hasty
  15. race — humankind
  16. rock — music
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. rock — a stone
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. pass — a permit

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