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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. race — the arms race
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. bound — certain
  6. bound — tied together
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. stem — to come from
  9. present — there
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. race — a contest
  12. mark — a trace
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. present — a gift
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. race — humankind
  21. mark — a grade
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. present — the time now

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