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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 120 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: present · object · rule · race · hide · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. race — humankind
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. present — a gift
  5. rule — government
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — an aim
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. rule — a law
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. present — there
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. race — the arms race
  14. present — the time now
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. race — a contest
  18. object — a thing

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