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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. race — the arms race
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rule — a law
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. rule — government
  12. game — wild animals
  13. mug — a cup
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. race — humankind
  16. pound — a weight
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mug — a face
  22. game — a match
  23. race — a contest
  24. pass — to spend time

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