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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. firm — a company
  4. row — to paddle
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. race — the arms race
  7. race — humankind
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. tear — from crying
  10. row — a line
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. race — a contest
  15. firm — steady
  16. rush — hurry
  17. tear — from crying
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. firm — decided
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bulb — for light

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