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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 124 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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. can — a tin
  4. current — electric
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. race — a contest
  7. current — happening now
  8. race — humankind
  9. ball — a great time
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — part of the head
  14. race — the arms race
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. object — to protest
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. can — to be able to
  19. object — a thing
  20. current — of water
  21. can — a tin
  22. object — an aim
  23. face — to confront
  24. ball — a dance

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