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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: deal · hide · calf · wind · fork · race

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. race — the arms race
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. race — a contest
  6. wind — moving air
  7. fork — in a road
  8. race — humankind
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. wind — to turn a key

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