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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. can — a tin
  3. object — an aim
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. club — for dancing
  6. row — a line
  7. current — of water
  8. wound — an injury
  9. object — a thing
  10. race — a contest
  11. current — happening now
  12. club — a group
  13. can — to be able to
  14. current — electric
  15. wound — an injury
  16. can — a tin
  17. club — for golf
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. race — humankind
  20. row — to paddle
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. race — the arms race
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. object — to protest

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