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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cap — a hat
  4. band — a ring
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. roll — a list
  7. mug — to rob
  8. band — a music group
  9. kick — in football
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. race — a contest
  12. mug — a face
  13. cap — a lid
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. race — humankind
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. roll — a cake
  21. staff — employees
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. cap — of ice
  24. race — the arms race

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