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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. rule — a law
  3. press — to push
  4. club — for golf
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. wound — an injury
  7. bulb — for light
  8. firm — decided
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. press — a publisher
  11. press — newspapers
  12. race — a contest
  13. club — a group
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. rule — government
  16. charge — in control
  17. race — the arms race
  18. firm — a company
  19. bulb — for light
  20. club — for dancing
  21. charge — a price
  22. charge — electricity
  23. firm — steady
  24. wound — an injury

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