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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 116 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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bass — the fish
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. mine — for digging
  9. race — humankind
  10. race — a contest
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. row — a line
  14. bulb — for light
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. stem — to come from
  17. bass — low music
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. row — to paddle
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. bulb — for light

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