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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. court — for sport
  5. mate — to breed
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. race — the arms race
  10. pass — a permit
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. race — a contest
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. fork — in a road
  16. court — of law
  17. race — humankind
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. mate — a friend
  20. court — of a king
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. mate — a partner
  24. bark — to shout

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