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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. chip — for betting
  4. race — humankind
  5. cue — for pool
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. race — the arms race
  8. chip — to eat
  9. wound — an injury
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. cue — a hint
  12. last — final
  13. present — there
  14. race — a contest
  15. present — a gift
  16. bulb — for light
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. last — finally
  20. present — the time now
  21. wound — an injury
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. last — to go on
  24. cue — a signal

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