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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. race — the arms race
  4. march — music
  5. lie — to recline
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. march — the month
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a lid
  12. mark — a trace
  13. spring — of water
  14. spring — the season
  15. spring — a coil
  16. march — the month
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. cap — a hat
  19. race — humankind
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bay — a horse colour

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