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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. club — for dancing
  3. race — humankind
  4. object — to protest
  5. bear — the animal
  6. club — a group
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bulb — for light
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. bear — the animal
  11. object — a thing
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. race — the arms race
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. wake — a trail
  18. race — a contest
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bulb — for light
  21. chair — a leader
  22. club — for golf
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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