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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 116 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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. race — the arms race
  3. current — electric
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. race — a contest
  7. court — for sport
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. current — happening now
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. current — of water
  12. fall — the season
  13. fall — to drop
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. court — of law
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. pound — a weight
  18. stand — to bear
  19. court — of a king
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. race — humankind

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