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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: stick · race · bat · season · calf · arm · racket · safe

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. season — of the year
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. race — a contest
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. race — humankind
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bat — the animal
  16. race — the arms race
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. season — in sport
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. season — to add flavour

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