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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 116 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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. bulb — for light
  3. season — of the year
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. race — the arms race
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. root — the cause
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. race — a contest
  11. squash — the sport
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. root — of a plant
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. bulb — for light
  16. deal — to handle
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pop — music
  20. squash — to crush
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. root — of a word
  23. season — in sport
  24. pop — soda

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