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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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. object — an aim
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. spell — magic
  9. race — the arms race
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. race — humankind
  12. craft — a skill
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mate — to breed
  15. object — a thing
  16. spell — letters
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. mate — a partner
  19. object — to protest
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. race — a contest
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. rush — hurry

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