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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: snap · calf · coach · mate · game · race · object · ruler

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. mate — a partner
  4. race — the arms race
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. object — a thing
  8. game — wild animals
  9. game — a match
  10. mate — to breed
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. mate — a friend
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. object — to protest
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. race — humankind
  23. race — a contest
  24. snap — to click

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