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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  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. bulb — for light
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bound — obliged
  4. race — a contest
  5. race — the arms race
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. cue — for pool
  8. bound — certain
  9. cue — a signal
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bore — to drill
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bore — to tire
  15. net — for catching
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bulb — for light
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. net — after costs
  22. net — in sport
  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