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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  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. bulb — for light
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. firm — steady
  5. vault — a safe
  6. bulb — for light
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. firm — a company
  12. rock — music
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. race — the arms race
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. firm — decided
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. rock — a stone
  23. race — a contest
  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