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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 120 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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bulb — for light
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. current — electric
  6. current — happening now
  7. race — humankind
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. chip — to eat
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. current — of water
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. race — the arms race
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bass — the fish
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. race — a contest
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bass — low music
  24. chip — for betting

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