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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.

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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bulb — for light
  4. race — a contest
  5. spell — magic
  6. rock — music
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mug — a cup
  10. bank — for money
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mug — a face
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. bank — for money
  20. race — the arms race
  21. bank — of a river
  22. spell — a short time
  23. spell — letters
  24. bulb — of a plant

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