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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. race — humankind
  3. ground — the earth
  4. sharp — clever
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. fall — the season
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bulb — for light
  11. race — the arms race
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. ground — crushed
  14. ground — a position
  15. fall — to drop
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. fall — to drop
  18. race — a contest
  19. bulb — for light
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. saw — the tool
  23. can — a tin
  24. mouse — the animal

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