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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 120 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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. race — a contest
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. wound — an injury
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. race — humankind
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. season — of the year
  23. season — in sport
  24. sharp — clever

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