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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: race · wave · club · cabinet · pass · pound · mug · bulb

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. club — for dancing
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. mug — to rob
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. race — the arms race
  11. club — for golf
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. race — a contest
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. club — a group
  19. mug — a cup
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. mug — a face
  23. race — humankind
  24. 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