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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 116 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. cue — a hint
  3. race — humankind
  4. stem — to come from
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. cue — a signal
  8. race — the arms race
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bore — to tire
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. scale — in music
  13. race — a contest
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bore — to drill
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. cue — for pool

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