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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 120 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bulb — for light
  3. staff — employees
  4. race — humankind
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rest — what's left
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. stem — to come from
  12. cap — of ice
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. rest — a break
  15. cap — a lid
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. race — a contest
  18. sharp — clever
  19. rest — what's left
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. cap — a hat
  24. race — the arms race

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