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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. pit — in a race
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pound — a weight
  6. race — the arms race
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. race — a contest
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. track — a song
  12. race — humankind
  13. track — a path
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. suit — in cards
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. pit — a hole
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. track — to keep track
  20. suit — to fit
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. deal — to handle
  23. coach — a trainer
  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