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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. race — a contest
  3. cap — a hat
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — a price
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. charge — in control
  9. cap — of ice
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. tear — to rip
  12. race — the arms race
  13. cap — a lid
  14. season — in sport
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. date — the fruit
  18. race — humankind
  19. stem — to come from
  20. tear — from crying
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — of the year
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. tear — from crying

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