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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. can — to be able to
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. race — the arms race
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. rush — hurry
  9. fall — the season
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. fall — to drop
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. race — humankind
  18. can — a tin
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. race — a contest
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. can — a tin
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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