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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. current — electric
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bat — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. race — the arms race
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. vault — a safe
  19. kick — in football
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. race — a contest
  22. current — happening now
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. current — of water

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