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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. race — the arms race
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. race — humankind
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. firm — decided
  10. drill — a practice
  11. drill — the tool
  12. race — a contest
  13. firm — steady
  14. drill — army training
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bulb — for light
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg

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