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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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. swing — to play on
  3. race — humankind
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. race — a contest
  8. fork — in a road
  9. perch — the fish
  10. track — a path
  11. swing — music
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — low music
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. race — the arms race
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a song
  23. perch — for a bird
  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