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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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Word bank
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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: rash · safe · mate · tear · race · game · calf · hand

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rash — a series
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. hand — help
  5. race — humankind
  6. mate — to breed
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. mate — a friend
  11. game — a match
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. race — the arms race
  14. race — a contest
  15. hand — in cards
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tear — to rip
  18. game — wild animals
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mate — a partner
  21. rash — hasty
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. tear — from crying

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