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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  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. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. branch — a division
  5. mate — a friend
  6. lie — to recline
  7. spring — the season
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. staff — a stick
  11. staff — employees
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. race — a contest
  14. mate — a partner
  15. spring — a coil
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mate — to breed
  19. staff — employees
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. spring — of water
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. race — humankind
  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