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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 120 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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. stand — to bear
  3. band — a music group
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. can — to be able to
  6. race — the arms race
  7. fall — to drop
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. club — for dancing
  10. club — a group
  11. can — a tin
  12. race — humankind
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pitch — completely
  16. bulb — for light
  17. race — a contest
  18. club — for golf
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. band — a ring
  23. can — a tin
  24. fall — the season

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