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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. fall — to drop
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. mug — to rob
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. fall — to drop
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. race — humankind
  12. fall — the season
  13. season — in sport
  14. race — the arms race
  15. face — to point toward
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. season — of the year
  18. wake — a trail
  19. face — to confront
  20. face — part of the head
  21. mug — a face
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mug — a cup
  24. race — a contest

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