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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. object — a thing
  3. spell — magic
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. race — a contest
  7. pop — soda
  8. board — to get on
  9. race — the arms race
  10. object — to protest
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. spring — a coil
  13. race — humankind
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. spell — letters
  18. pop — to visit
  19. object — an aim
  20. pop — music
  21. spring — of water
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. board — a committee
  24. spring — the season

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