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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. spell — a short time
  3. band — a ring
  4. spell — magic
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. race — a contest
  7. spell — letters
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. spring — of water
  10. object — an aim
  11. band — a music group
  12. kick — in football
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. race — the arms race
  15. spring — the season
  16. race — humankind
  17. object — a thing
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. spring — a coil
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. object — to protest

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