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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 116 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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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: rule · snap · lean · suit · race · rock · fan · bulb

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bulb — for light
  3. lean — thin
  4. rule — government
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. race — the arms race
  7. bulb — for light
  8. race — humankind
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. lean — to bend
  11. race — a contest
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. suit — clothes
  14. rock — a stone
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. rule — a law
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. suit — to fit
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. rock — music
  24. snap — to click

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