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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. key — for a lock
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. squash — to crush
  6. pop — soda
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. pop — to visit
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. squash — the sport
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. fork — in a road
  17. race — humankind
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. key — in music
  20. race — the arms race
  21. race — a contest
  22. key — the most important part
  23. pop — music
  24. snap — to click

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