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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 116 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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. race — humankind
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. race — a contest
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pop — music
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pop — soda
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. pop — to visit
  14. deal — to handle
  15. bound — obliged
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bound — certain
  19. bound — tied together
  20. race — the arms race
  21. wax — to grow
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  24. pitcher — a jug

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