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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 120 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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. race — humankind
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. spring — the season
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. spring — a coil
  14. current — of water
  15. track — a path
  16. track — to keep track
  17. race — the arms race
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. race — a contest
  21. current — electric
  22. current — happening now
  23. spring — of water
  24. track — a song

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