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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 am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. squash — to crush
  3. bulb — for light
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. face — to confront
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. club — for dancing
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. face — to point toward
  11. club — for golf
  12. squash — the sport
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. face — part of the head
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. pass — a permit
  18. club — a group
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. race — the arms race
  23. race — humankind
  24. race — a contest

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