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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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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: suit · rush · kid · bound · calf · roll · race · field

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. bound — tied together
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bound — obliged
  5. kid — to tease
  6. bound — certain
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. suit — clothes
  10. kid — child
  11. field — for sport
  12. field — a subject
  13. suit — in cards
  14. roll — a cake
  15. field — farmland
  16. roll — a list
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. suit — to fit
  19. race — humankind
  20. race — a contest
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — hurry
  24. roll — on a roll

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