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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. race — the arms race
  5. current — happening now
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — a stone
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. current — electric
  12. rock — music
  13. current — of water
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. race — a contest
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. racket — for tennis

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