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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bark — to shout
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. saw — the tool
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. rest — a break
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. swing — music
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. swing — to play on
  13. swing — in golf
  14. race — humankind
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. craft — a skill
  17. saw — the tool
  18. race — the arms race
  19. race — a contest
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bulb — for light
  23. craft — boats
  24. rest — what's left

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