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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. race — humankind
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. cue — a hint
  7. last — final
  8. wake — a trail
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. race — a contest
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. present — the time now
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. race — the arms race
  15. cue — a signal
  16. last — to go on
  17. present — a gift
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. last — finally
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. present — there
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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