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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mate — to breed
  3. rest — a break
  4. mate — a friend
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. swing — music
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. swing — in golf
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. rest — what's left
  11. swing — to play on
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bulb — for light
  14. race — the arms race
  15. race — a contest
  16. rest — what's left
  17. race — humankind
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mate — a partner
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. bear — to put up with

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