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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. race — humankind
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. track — to keep track
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. content — happy
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. race — the arms race
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. rush — hurry
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. track — a song
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. content — the amount
  23. race — a contest
  24. track — a path

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