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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. face — to confront
  4. current — of water
  5. race — a contest
  6. current — electric
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. rule — government
  9. lean — thin
  10. current — happening now
  11. race — the arms race
  12. bulb — for light
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. race — humankind
  15. lean — to bend
  16. toast — bread
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. face — to point toward
  22. rule — a law
  23. face — part of the head
  24. bulb — for light

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