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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. squash — to crush
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. fork — in a road
  5. race — the arms race
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. prune — to trim
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. race — humankind
  15. bulb — for light
  16. race — a contest
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. squash — the sport
  21. prune — to trim
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. lie — to recline

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