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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. tear — from crying
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. mate — a friend
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. race — a contest
  11. mate — a partner
  12. date — the fruit
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. tear — to rip
  18. race — the arms race
  19. tear — from crying
  20. race — humankind
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mate — to breed
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. foot — a measure

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