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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bulb — for light
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. race — humankind
  6. rash — a series
  7. race — a contest
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rest — a break
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. lean — thin
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. kick — in football
  20. board — a committee
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. board — to get on
  23. race — the arms race
  24. lean — to bend

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