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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. track — a path
  6. firm — steady
  7. mark — a grade
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. wound — an injury
  10. mark — a trace
  11. branch — a division
  12. firm — decided
  13. bulb — for light
  14. track — a song
  15. firm — a company
  16. race — humankind
  17. race — the arms race
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. wound — an injury
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. plane — a tool
  23. race — a contest
  24. track — to keep track

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