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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  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. race — humankind
  3. race — a contest
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. sharp — clever
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. bank — of a river
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. race — the arms race
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — the underground
  17. bank — for money
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. tube — a container
  22. bank — for money
  23. sharp — with an edge
  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