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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
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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: mine · cabinet · bulb · game · race · fine · arm · ball

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. race — humankind
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. mine — for digging
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. game — a match
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. ball — a great time
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. race — a contest
  20. game — wild animals
  21. fine — high quality
  22. race — the arms race
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. fine — all right

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