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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. race — a contest
  3. suit — to fit
  4. saw — the tool
  5. race — the arms race
  6. bulb — for light
  7. saw — the tool
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. plane — a tool
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. suit — clothes
  19. band — a music group
  20. deal — to handle
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. suit — in cards
  23. race — humankind
  24. band — a ring

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