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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. shower — to wash
  3. object — to protest
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — to fit
  8. land — ground
  9. bear — the animal
  10. suit — clothes
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. object — a thing
  13. race — humankind
  14. bulb — for light
  15. object — an aim
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. land — a country
  18. bulb — for light
  19. land — to come down
  20. race — the arms race
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. shower — rain
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bear — the animal

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