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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. bulb — for light
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. can — to be able to
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. race — the arms race
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bore — to tire
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. kid — child
  14. race — humankind
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. kid — to tease
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — to confront
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. face — part of the head

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