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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. mug — a cup
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. file — a tool
  5. mug — a face
  6. ball — a great time
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. mug — to rob
  10. race — the arms race
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. file — a line of people
  14. race — a contest
  15. board — a committee
  16. ball — a dance
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. race — humankind
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. stem — to come from
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. board — to get on

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