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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: object · race · fan · swing · leaves · bulb · straw · degree

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. race — a contest
  5. swing — to play on
  6. object — to protest
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bulb — for light
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. race — humankind
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. swing — music
  14. object — an aim
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bulb — for light
  17. degree — temperature
  18. degree — from a university
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. degree — an amount
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. object — a thing
  24. fan — a supporter

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