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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. race — a contest
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — an injury
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. race — humankind
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. race — the arms race
  14. toast — bread
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. ball — a dance
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. ball — a great time
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bulb — for light

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