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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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. race — humankind
  5. pop — music
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mark — a grade
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. pop — soda
  10. tear — to rip
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. spell — magic
  14. mark — a trace
  15. tear — from crying
  16. spell — letters
  17. race — the arms race
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. race — a contest
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. tear — from crying
  24. pop — to visit

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