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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. race — humankind
  3. sharp — clever
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. bulb — for light
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. race — a contest
  13. track — a song
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. staff — employees
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. track — to keep track
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. staff — employees
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. track — a path
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. race — the arms race
  24. staff — a stick

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