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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. race — the arms race
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. cap — a lid
  14. rock — a stone
  15. race — humankind
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. cap — of ice
  18. rock — music
  19. kick — in football
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. cap — a hat
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. 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