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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 124 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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. court — of a king
  3. mate — a partner
  4. tear — from crying
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. mate — to breed
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lean — thin
  9. court — of law
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. tear — from crying
  13. stock — shares
  14. mate — a friend
  15. can — a tin
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. race — a contest
  18. lean — to bend
  19. can — to be able to
  20. stock — goods
  21. race — humankind
  22. can — a tin
  23. court — for sport
  24. tear — to rip

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