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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. object — a thing
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. roll — a cake
  7. race — the arms race
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. object — to protest
  11. craft — a skill
  12. object — an aim
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. craft — boats
  15. roll — a list
  16. race — a contest
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. snap — to click
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. craft — a handicraft

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