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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: face · shower · track · bound · race · lie · foot · calf

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. race — the arms race
  4. shower — rain
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. race — a contest
  7. face — part of the head
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. track — a path
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. foot — a measure
  12. track — to keep track
  13. bound — certain
  14. shower — to wash
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bound — obliged
  17. track — a song
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. face — to point toward
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. face — to confront
  24. bound — tied together

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