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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. key — in music
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. race — a contest
  6. race — the arms race
  7. key — for a lock
  8. land — ground
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. key — the most important part
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. land — to come down
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. land — a country
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. calf — a young animal

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