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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. race — humankind
  3. pass — a permit
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. spring — of water
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. race — a contest
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. perch — the fish
  16. race — the arms race
  17. sharp — clever
  18. bark — to shout
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. spring — a coil
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. spring — the season

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