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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. capital — a city
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. lean — thin
  6. race — a contest
  7. race — humankind
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. swing — music
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. lean — to bend
  13. swing — to play on
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. chest — of your body
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. chest — of your body
  19. race — the arms race
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. chest — a box
  23. rest — what's left
  24. capital — money

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