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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. rash — a series
  4. bulb — for light
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. roll — a list
  9. mug — a cup
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. race — humankind
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bulb — for light
  14. roll — a cake
  15. mug — to rob
  16. rash — hasty
  17. cell — a phone
  18. mug — a face
  19. dip — to sink
  20. race — a contest
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. race — the arms race
  24. cell — in a prison

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