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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. ball — a dance
  3. cap — a hat
  4. race — the arms race
  5. present — a gift
  6. last — final
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. cap — a lid
  9. squash — to crush
  10. last — to go on
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. last — finally
  14. ball — a great time
  15. cap — of ice
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. present — the time now
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. present — there
  21. plane — a tool
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. squash — the sport
  24. race — a contest

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