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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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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: kick · bulb · race · safe · wave · pitch

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. pitch — completely
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. race — a contest
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. kick — in football
  16. race — humankind
  17. race — the arms race
  18. bulb — for light

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