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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. ball — a dance
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. band — a music group
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rock — music
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. ball — a great time
  10. board — a committee
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rock — a stone
  15. snap — to click
  16. band — a ring
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. race — a contest
  23. board — to get on
  24. race — humankind

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