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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. field — for sport
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — hurry
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. key — in music
  8. field — farmland
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. race — a contest
  12. key — for a lock
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. field — a subject
  15. row — to paddle
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — a container
  20. row — a line
  21. race — humankind
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. key — the most important part

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