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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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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. tube — the underground
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. present — the time now
  6. mark — a trace
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. race — humankind
  15. present — a gift
  16. snap — to click
  17. plane — a tool
  18. tube — a container
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. present — there
  23. race — a contest
  24. race — the arms race

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