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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. race — humankind
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. swing — to play on
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. swing — in golf
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. race — the arms race
  9. swing — music
  10. snap — to click
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. club — a group
  14. club — for golf
  15. race — a contest
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pit — in a race
  19. bulb — for light
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. key — in music
  22. key — the most important part
  23. pit — a hole
  24. key — for a lock

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