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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. race — the arms race
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. club — for dancing
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lie — to recline
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. pop — soda
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. pop — music
  14. club — for golf
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. club — a group
  17. pop — to visit
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. race — a contest
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. lie — an untruth

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