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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: calf · ruler · capital · cabinet · rush · game · race · toast

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. game — wild animals
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. race — a contest
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. capital — money
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. capital — a city
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. toast — bread
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. race — the arms race
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. rush — hurry
  23. game — a match
  24. ruler — for measuring

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