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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. capital — money
  3. race — the arms race
  4. lean — to bend
  5. can — a tin
  6. bulb — for light
  7. race — humankind
  8. lean — thin
  9. capital — a city
  10. pass — a permit
  11. race — a contest
  12. stem — to come from
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. can — a tin
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. capital — a big letter

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