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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 works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bark — to shout
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. chest — a box
  5. bank — for money
  6. rest — what's left
  7. wound — an injury
  8. race — a contest
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. wound — an injury
  13. rest — a break
  14. firm — decided
  15. race — the arms race
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. firm — steady
  18. chest — of your body
  19. bank — for money
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bank — of a river
  23. rest — what's left
  24. race — humankind

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