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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  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. bulb — of a plant
  2. race — a contest
  3. rule — government
  4. foot — a measure
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bulb — for light
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. rule — a law
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. race — humankind
  18. snap — to click
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. stand — to bear
  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