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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: bulb · wind · mark · squash · rush · pit · wave · mouse

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pit — in a race
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wind — moving air
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. bulb — for light
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. squash — the sport
  14. mark — a trace
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — to crush
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pit — a hole
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. wind — moving air

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