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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. race — humankind
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. race — a contest
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. chest — of your body
  12. season — of the year
  13. race — the arms race
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. season — in sport
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bulb — for light
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. chest — of your body
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. prune — to trim

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