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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cell — in biology
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. saw — the tool
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. saw — the tool
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. charge — electricity
  10. face — part of the head
  11. race — a contest
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. face — to confront
  15. race — humankind
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. hand — in cards
  18. hand — help
  19. face — to point toward
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. cell — a phone
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — in control

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