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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. root — of a word
  6. land — to come down
  7. race — humankind
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. land — ground
  10. rule — government
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. root — the cause
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mark — a trace
  18. bank — for money
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. root — of a plant
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. race — a contest
  23. land — a country
  24. rule — a law

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