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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. mark — a trace
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. race — the arms race
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. rock — music
  9. race — a contest
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. kid — child
  12. tube — the underground
  13. bank — for money
  14. tube — a container
  15. race — humankind
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bank — for money
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bank — of a river
  23. kid — to tease
  24. bowl — a dish

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