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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  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. club — for golf
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. kick — in football
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. club — a group
  7. race — a contest
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. race — humankind
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. club — for dancing
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. race — the arms race
  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