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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bulb — for light
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. fall — to drop
  7. squash — to crush
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. club — a group
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. race — the arms race
  13. race — a contest
  14. fall — the season
  15. club — for golf
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bulb — for light
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. race — humankind
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. squash — the sport
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. club — for dancing

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