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

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bore — to drill
  6. mark — a trace
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. race — humankind
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. race — a contest
  13. current — happening now
  14. bore — to tire
  15. mark — a grade
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. current — electric
  18. current — of water

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