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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 · hide · racket · row · object · leaves · race · bear

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. object — an aim
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. object — to protest
  6. race — humankind
  7. bear — the animal
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. race — the arms race
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. row — a line
  16. race — a contest
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. row — to paddle
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. object — a thing
  24. leaves — to go away

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