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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. hand — in cards
  3. rule — a law
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. rash — a series
  6. swing — to play on
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rule — government
  9. swing — in golf
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. swing — music
  12. race — the arms race
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bulb — for light
  16. key — the most important part
  17. race — a contest
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. key — in music
  20. key — for a lock
  21. hand — help
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. rash — hasty
  24. hand — part of the body

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