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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. shower — rain
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bulb — for light
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. object — a thing
  8. can — a tin
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. race — the arms race
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. object — an aim
  15. race — humankind
  16. object — to protest
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. shower — to wash
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bulb — for light
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. race — a contest
  24. bulb — of a plant

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