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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 116 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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. land — to come down
  3. land — ground
  4. ball — a great time
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. land — a country
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. race — the arms race
  12. ball — a dance
  13. pit — a hole
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — for light
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. race — humankind
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. pit — in a race
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. race — a contest
  24. ruler — for measuring

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