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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. race — the arms race
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. stock — goods
  5. ball — a great time
  6. face — to point toward
  7. face — to confront
  8. face — part of the head
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. race — humankind
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. ball — a dance
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. stock — shares
  16. pass — a permit
  17. plane — a tool
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. rush — hurry
  22. race — a contest
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. calf — a young animal

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