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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. band — a ring
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stand — to bear
  5. band — a music group
  6. race — the arms race
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. game — a match
  9. race — a contest
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fine — high quality
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. game — wild animals
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. race — humankind
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. fine — all right
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. snap — to click

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