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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: game · net · present · bulb · race · chair · lean · suit

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. suit — to fit
  3. race — a contest
  4. game — wild animals
  5. bulb — for light
  6. suit — clothes
  7. net — after costs
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. net — in sport
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — the time now
  12. race — the arms race
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. suit — in cards
  17. lean — thin
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. game — a match
  21. bulb — for light
  22. chair — a leader
  23. net — for catching
  24. present — there

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