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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  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. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a hole
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. race — the arms race
  7. file — a tool
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. race — a contest
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bulb — for light
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. bulb — for light
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. race — humankind
  17. file — a line of people
  18. rock — music
  19. fall — the season
  20. rock — a stone
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. fall — to drop
  23. file — a document
  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