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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. object — a thing
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bear — the animal
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. face — part of the head
  8. hand — help
  9. hand — in cards
  10. race — a contest
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. face — to point toward
  14. object — an aim
  15. race — the arms race
  16. snap — to click
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. object — to protest
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. face — to confront
  24. calf — a young animal

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