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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: bay · bat · calf · bear · rule · dip · pass · race

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. rule — government
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bear — the animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rule — a law
  7. bat — the animal
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — to sink
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. race — humankind
  15. race — a contest
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bat — for baseball

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