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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. shower — rain
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. shower — to wash
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. rest — what's left
  8. race — the arms race
  9. rest — what's left
  10. race — a contest
  11. land — to come down
  12. snap — to click
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pit — in a race
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. pit — a hole
  21. land — ground
  22. bulb — for light
  23. race — humankind
  24. rest — a break

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