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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mug — to rob
  3. race — the arms race
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. saw — the tool
  7. mug — a face
  8. saw — the tool
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. mark — a grade
  11. cap — a lid
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pitch — completely
  14. race — a contest
  15. cap — a hat
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. mark — a trace
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. race — humankind
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. mug — a cup
  24. cap — of ice

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