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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. bark — to shout
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. race — the arms race
  12. race — a contest
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. cell — a phone
  15. cell — in biology
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. scale — in music
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. race — humankind
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. wake — a trail
  23. scale — size or range
  24. safe — out of danger

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