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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. present — there
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. present — a gift
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. race — the arms race
  15. key — the most important part
  16. bulb — for light
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. kick — in football
  20. key — in music
  21. race — a contest
  22. key — for a lock
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. present — the time now

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