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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 120 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: race · lean · tear · spell · fan · bulb · suit · racket

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. spell — a short time
  5. suit — clothes
  6. spell — letters
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. lean — to bend
  10. suit — to fit
  11. lean — thin
  12. tear — to rip
  13. tear — from crying
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bulb — for light
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. tear — from crying
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. spell — magic
  22. race — the arms race
  23. bulb — for light
  24. race — a contest

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