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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. bulb — for light
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. drill — a practice
  5. hand — help
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. saw — the tool
  8. race — humankind
  9. race — the arms race
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. key — for a lock
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. lean — thin
  18. drill — the tool
  19. key — the most important part
  20. bulb — for light
  21. key — in music
  22. lean — to bend
  23. drill — army training
  24. hand — in cards

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