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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. firm — decided
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. kid — child
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. swing — in golf
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bear — the animal
  11. race — humankind
  12. swing — music
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. bear — the animal
  15. firm — a company
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. swing — to play on
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. firm — steady
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. race — a contest
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. kid — to tease

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