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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bank — of a river
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bank — for money
  8. present — a gift
  9. scale — in music
  10. present — the time now
  11. bank — for money
  12. mark — a grade
  13. pass — a permit
  14. object — an aim
  15. scale — size or range
  16. present — there
  17. object — to protest
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. race — a contest
  23. object — a thing
  24. mark — a trace

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