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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. lean — to bend
  7. race — the arms race
  8. capital — a city
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. race — a contest
  12. capital — money
  13. fork — in a road
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. shower — to wash
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. shower — rain
  20. lean — thin
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. temple — a place of worship

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