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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. rash — a series
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. race — a contest
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bulb — for light
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. object — to protest
  10. race — the arms race
  11. rash — hasty
  12. race — humankind
  13. bulb — for light
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. object — a thing
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. object — an aim
  18. face — to point toward
  19. face — part of the head
  20. saw — the tool
  21. stand — to bear
  22. face — to confront
  23. kick — in football
  24. stand — on your feet

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