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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. key — in music
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. race — the arms race
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bear — the animal
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. board — a committee
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. board — to get on
  13. key — for a lock
  14. stand — to bear
  15. rash — hasty
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bear — the animal
  19. race — a contest
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. rash — a series
  24. race — humankind

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