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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bat — the animal
  3. chest — of your body
  4. cue — a signal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. race — the arms race
  7. suit — in cards
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. suit — clothes
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. race — humankind
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. roll — a list
  18. chest — a box
  19. race — a contest
  20. cue — for pool
  21. chest — of your body
  22. cue — a hint
  23. roll — a cake
  24. suit — to fit

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