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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 120 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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. race — the arms race
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. club — a group
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. race — humankind
  12. lie — to recline
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. club — for golf
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. club — for dancing
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rash — a series
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. content — the amount
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. content — happy

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