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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. shower — rain
  4. scale — in music
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. suit — in cards
  8. roll — a cake
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. shower — to wash
  12. race — a contest
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. race — humankind
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. scale — size or range
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. roll — a list
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. race — the arms race

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