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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 120 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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. club — a group
  4. field — for sport
  5. suit — to fit
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bear — the animal
  8. field — farmland
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. club — for dancing
  11. club — for golf
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. race — humankind
  17. suit — in cards
  18. race — the arms race
  19. field — a subject
  20. suit — clothes
  21. race — a contest
  22. mate — a friend
  23. kick — in football
  24. arm — part of the body

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