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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. track — a path
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stem — to come from
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bulb — for light
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. track — to keep track
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. race — a contest
  16. mark — a trace
  17. race — humankind
  18. sharp — clever
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. track — a song
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. mouse — for a computer

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