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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. wind — moving air
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a trace
  5. ball — a dance
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bulb — for light
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — electric
  11. current — of water
  12. race — a contest
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. race — the arms race
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. bulb — for light
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. mark — a grade
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. wind — moving air

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