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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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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. race — a contest
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. key — the most important part
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. plane — a tool
  9. key — in music
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. kick — in football
  15. race — humankind
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. race — the arms race
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. key — for a lock
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bark — to shout
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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