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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  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. calf — of the leg
  2. race — the arms race
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. track — a song
  5. track — a path
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. degree — from a university
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. degree — temperature
  11. track — to keep track
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. race — humankind
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. lean — to bend
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. degree — an amount
  19. race — a contest
  20. net — after costs
  21. net — for catching
  22. net — in sport
  23. lean — thin
  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