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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. scale — size or range
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. race — the arms race
  9. race — a contest
  10. firm — a company
  11. bulb — for light
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. firm — decided
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. chair — a leader
  17. firm — steady
  18. scale — in music
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bulb — for light
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. race — humankind

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