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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. present — the time now
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. face — to point toward
  7. race — the arms race
  8. face — part of the head
  9. present — a gift
  10. race — humankind
  11. rush — hurry
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. object — an aim
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. object — to protest
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. face — to confront
  20. present — there
  21. object — a thing
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. race — a contest

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