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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. race — the arms race
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. drill — the tool
  5. chip — to eat
  6. race — a contest
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. root — of a plant
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. cap — of ice
  11. drill — army training
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. cap — a hat
  16. root — the cause
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. root — of a word
  19. chip — for betting
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. race — humankind
  23. cap — a lid
  24. lash — to lash out

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