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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — hasty
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. race — a contest
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. race — the arms race
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. march — music
  16. march — the month
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. march — the month
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. safe — a strongbox

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