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

Word bank: bass · kick · race · pound · calf · charge

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. kick — in football
  4. race — the arms race
  5. race — a contest
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bass — low music
  9. race — humankind
  10. charge — a price
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. charge — in control
  16. bass — the fish
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. pound — a weight

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