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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. race — a contest
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. race — humankind
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. swing — to play on
  8. rash — a series
  9. swing — music
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. can — to be able to
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rash — hasty
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. swing — in golf
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. race — the arms race

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