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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. spell — letters
  3. race — humankind
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. scale — in music
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. spell — a short time
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. shower — rain
  12. race — a contest
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. spell — magic
  18. race — the arms race
  19. scale — size or range
  20. shower — to wash
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. safe — out of danger

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