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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 124 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: net · race · racket · ground · calf · mine · wave · ruler

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. race — the arms race
  3. race — a contest
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. ground — the earth
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. mine — for digging
  8. ground — a position
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. ground — crushed
  14. net — after costs
  15. net — in sport
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. net — for catching
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. race — humankind
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. mine — an explosive

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