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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. race — humankind
  3. charge — electricity
  4. bore — to drill
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. net — for catching
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bulb — for light
  11. charge — a price
  12. bear — the animal
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. squash — the sport
  15. net — in sport
  16. deal — to handle
  17. race — the arms race
  18. charge — in control
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. net — after costs
  21. race — a contest
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. squash — to crush
  24. squash — the vegetable

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