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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. wound — an injury
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. race — humankind
  6. race — a contest
  7. snap — to click
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. wound — an injury
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rock — music
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. stock — shares
  17. race — the arms race
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. stock — goods

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