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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. race — humankind
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. scale — in music
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. track — a path
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a song
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. race — a contest
  22. scale — size or range
  23. race — the arms race
  24. nail — on a finger

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