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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 · game · dip · racket · race · plane · pit · fork

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. pit — a hole
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. race — a contest
  10. race — humankind
  11. game — a match
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. pit — in a race
  14. plane — a tool
  15. fork — in a road
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. game — wild animals
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. dip — to sink
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. race — the arms race

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