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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. race — a contest
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. net — for catching
  7. file — a tool
  8. rule — a law
  9. rule — government
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — in sport
  12. stock — shares
  13. bulb — for light
  14. file — a document
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. file — a line of people
  18. race — the arms race
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. race — humankind
  22. lie — to recline
  23. stock — goods
  24. rule — to rule out

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