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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. track — a song
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. can — a tin
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — a permit
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. race — the arms race
  11. spring — a coil
  12. can — to be able to
  13. race — humankind
  14. pit — a hole
  15. spring — of water
  16. spring — the season
  17. can — a tin
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. track — to keep track
  22. pit — in a race
  23. track — a path
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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