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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.

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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: can · rest · bulb · ground · race · cabinet · fan · saw

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. can — a tin
  3. ground — a position
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. bulb — for light
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rest — what's left
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. race — a contest
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. saw — the tool
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. race — the arms race
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. race — humankind
  21. rest — a break
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rest — what's left
  24. ground — the earth

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