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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  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. rash — on the skin
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. race — the arms race
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. stem — to come from
  6. land — ground
  7. land — a country
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. land — to come down
  13. race — humankind
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. rash — hasty
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rash — a series
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. race — a contest
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. pass — a permit
  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